Search Your Favourite Restaurants.

Name: Bijou Café
Address: 132 SW 3rd Ave, Portland, OR, 97204
Telephone: (503) 222-3187
Price range: Under $11
Rating: 3.79

Bijou Café

132 SW 3rd Ave, Portland, OR, 97204

(503) 222-3187
Store is closed

Bijou Café Menu

French Style Omelets

Farmers

Oyster

Redwood Hill Smoked Goat Cheddar

Sheep Milk Feta

Bravo Cheddar

Cave-aged Gruyere

Seasonal Roasted Vegetables

Mushroom & Grafton Cheddar

Two Eggs Any Style

Carlton Farm Bacon & Eggs

House Made Pork Sausage & Eggs

Seasonal Sauteed Vegetable Plate

Potato-Cheese Plate

Baguette

Farmers

Oyster

Redwood Hill Smoked Goat Cheddar

Sheep Milk Feta

Bravo Cheddar

Cave-aged Gruyere

Seasonal Roasted Vegetables

Mushroom & Grafton Cheddar

Two Eggs Any Style

Carlton Farm Bacon & Eggs

House Made Pork Sausage & Eggs

Seasonal Sauteed Vegetable Plate

Potato-Cheese Plate

Baguette
For Lunch or Anytime

Oyster Sandwich

Smoked Turkey

Pastrami

Tuna Panini

Grilled Ham & Cheese Sandwich

Bijou Burger

Vegetable Quesadilla

Roast Chicken & Bravo Cheddar Enchilada

Fine Herbs Omelette & House Salad

Beet Salad

Buckwheat Noodle Salad

Albacore Tuna Salad

Salad Bowl

Heirloom Green Salad

Soup of The Moment

Soup & Salad

Oyster Sandwich

Smoked Turkey

Pastrami

Tuna Panini

Grilled Ham & Cheese Sandwich

Bijou Burger

Vegetable Quesadilla

Roast Chicken & Bravo Cheddar Enchilada

Fine Herbs Omelette & House Salad

Beet Salad

Buckwheat Noodle Salad

Albacore Tuna Salad

Salad Bowl

Heirloom Green Salad

Soup of The Moment

Soup & Salad
House Specialties

Oyster Hash

Roast Beef Hash

Seasonal Squash Hash

Tofu Scramble

Quesadillas

Pancakes

Brioche French Toast

Cinnamon French Toast

Grilled Cinamon Bread

Tracy's Granola

Tracy's Granola with Fruit

Organic Oatmeal

Organic Oatmeal with Fruit

Nancy's Yogurt & Fresh Fruit

Seasonal Fruit Plate

Oyster Hash

Roast Beef Hash

Seasonal Squash Hash

Tofu Scramble

Quesadillas

Pancakes

Brioche French Toast

Cinnamon French Toast

Grilled Cinamon Bread

Tracy's Granola

Tracy's Granola with Fruit

Organic Oatmeal

Organic Oatmeal with Fruit

Nancy's Yogurt & Fresh Fruit

Seasonal Fruit Plate

Healthy Meal suggestions for Bijou Café

French Style Omelets

Farmers [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Oyster [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Redwood Hill Smoked Goat Cheddar [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Sheep Milk Feta [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Bravo Cheddar [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Cave-aged Gruyere [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Seasonal Roasted Vegetables [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Mushroom & Grafton Cheddar [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Two Eggs Any Style [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Carlton Farm Bacon & Eggs [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

House Made Pork Sausage & Eggs [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Seasonal Sauteed Vegetable Plate [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Potato-Cheese Plate [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Baguette [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Farmers [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Oyster [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Redwood Hill Smoked Goat Cheddar [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Sheep Milk Feta [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Bravo Cheddar [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Cave-aged Gruyere [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Seasonal Roasted Vegetables [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Mushroom & Grafton Cheddar [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Two Eggs Any Style [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Carlton Farm Bacon & Eggs [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

House Made Pork Sausage & Eggs [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Seasonal Sauteed Vegetable Plate [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Potato-Cheese Plate [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Baguette [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
For Lunch or Anytime

Oyster Sandwich [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Smoked Turkey [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Pastrami [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tuna Panini [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Grilled Ham & Cheese Sandwich [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Bijou Burger [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Vegetable Quesadilla [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Roast Chicken & Bravo Cheddar Enchilada [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fine Herbs Omelette & House Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Beet Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Buckwheat Noodle Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Albacore Tuna Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Salad Bowl [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Heirloom Green Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Soup of The Moment [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Soup & Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Oyster Sandwich [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Smoked Turkey [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Pastrami [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tuna Panini [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Grilled Ham & Cheese Sandwich [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Bijou Burger [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Vegetable Quesadilla [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Roast Chicken & Bravo Cheddar Enchilada [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fine Herbs Omelette & House Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Beet Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Buckwheat Noodle Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Albacore Tuna Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Salad Bowl [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Heirloom Green Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Soup of The Moment [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Soup & Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
House Specialties

Oyster Hash [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Roast Beef Hash [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Seasonal Squash Hash [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tofu Scramble [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Quesadillas [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Pancakes [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Brioche French Toast [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Cinnamon French Toast [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Grilled Cinamon Bread [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tracy's Granola [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tracy's Granola with Fruit [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Organic Oatmeal [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Organic Oatmeal with Fruit [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Nancy's Yogurt & Fresh Fruit [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Seasonal Fruit Plate [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Oyster Hash [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Roast Beef Hash [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Seasonal Squash Hash [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tofu Scramble [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Quesadillas [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Pancakes [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Brioche French Toast [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Cinnamon French Toast [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Grilled Cinamon Bread [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tracy's Granola [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tracy's Granola with Fruit [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Organic Oatmeal [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Organic Oatmeal with Fruit [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Nancy's Yogurt & Fresh Fruit [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Seasonal Fruit Plate [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Sorry, We are updating this restaurant blood pressure menu details.

Sorry, We are updating this restaurant cholesterol menu details.

Write An Anonymous Review

Eric F.

Great brunch ... I had the oyster sandwich on a ciabatta bread . Very fresh and delicious . Everything is locally sourced so the menu can change from time to.time
(5)
Paul S.

Very good breakfast place. Ordered pancakes which were huge and choice of maple or marionberry syrup.
(3)
Matty W.

Great breakfast on a Monday morning before flying out of town. No wait to get in, and the food was excellent. I had the oyster hash, and my wife had the cauliflower with kale hash. Both plates had great flavor.
(5)
Diane C.

Bijou has been a bright PDX breakfast spot for many, many years. We got there right after 9 on a Sunday and beat the crowds. The service was great. We ordered the French Toast (yummy) and an omelet. Really great...
(4)
Elaine K.

Our experience here was only "meh", from the service to the food. I can barely remember what I had to eat and we were just there a few days ago! Is it bad to say that the best part of my meal was the freshly squeezed orange juice? I'd skip this restaurant especially considering all the other gems there are in Portland!
(3)
Fred C.

A fan! Visited during snow storm Feb 2014. The place has a great feel and the waitperson was great. She had a very dry sense of humor, was fun and totally honest. We were all extremely pleased. Personally, I have to say the fried oyster hash has to be one of the better breakfasts I've ever had! A great introduction to Portland and a place I would return to again and again if I lived here.
(5)
Julie F.

Hotel recommended it and it was great. Fun, not pretentious atmosphere with friendly, efficient service. Great omlettes and juices. We had no wait early on a Saturday because we chose to sit at the bar. Stuffed ourselves with an affordable oyster omlette and the daily special, asparagus, spinach, caramelized onion and gruyere masterpiece. Perfect start to the day and our tour of the city.
(5)
Cathy W.

I had one of the best breakfasts in years at Bijou Cafe, but for all the wrong reasons. The service was indifferent and slow. I was fifth in a long line on a Sunday morning with about eight people behind me, and empty seats at the bar. I was alone, and waiting for one of the servers to make eye contact and acknowledge the line. The sign at the entrance said, "Wait to be seated," so those of us in line waited, and waited, and... got into conversations with each other as we waited to be admitted. It turns out there is a list to which you are supposed to add your name when you enter, and eventualllllllly, one of the servers will come over and call you. So, that's my tip for you. Secondly, because of the long wait and the group's shared sentiments about the lousy process, I had a great conversation with the people behind me. This turned into eating breakfast together, where we talked about the professional activities that had brought us all to Portland. We agreed to keep in touch from our respective east and west coasts. The food was decent. When someone in my party commented to our server about the busy-ness of the cafe, our server barely restrained a yawn and blithely indicated it was like that all the time. Not for long, Bijou, not for long! C'mon, add a sign, make eye-contact, and be friendly.
(3)
Lucy G.

LOVE. LOVE. LOVE. We got here crazy early, with only 35 minutes to scarf down breakfast. This, it turned out, was a tragedy as our server steered us away from ordering meat, which was all cooked to order. No meat? No breakfast meat!? Well, my very basic yogurt and granola was perfectly proportioned and delicious, and my friend's eggs were flawlessly, fluffily scrambled. He usually never eats the potatoes. Here, he was compelled by their rosemary-scented, garlicky goodness. Oh, and the bacon (the quickest meat to cook) was thick and crisp and savory in, like, a complex way that is downright inappropriate for 8.30 on a monday morning. Also, the strawberry jam! And, the fresh-squeezed glass of Grapefruit juice! So fresh. I cannot wait to come back for one of those towering bowls of hash.
(5)
Rasta V.

Awful. I'm not sure why this place has so many great reviews. The food was barely edible, poor customer service, place had a strange unpleasant odor and we were over charged for our meal. No apology given and server an older woman didn't care if we had a great dining experience. First and last visit to this restaurant. Not worth a visit, better dining experiences available close by.
(1)
Dexter D.

Walked about a mile from our hotel to have breakfast here. Service was very good as was the food. I had the oyster hash and I forgot what she had. I just know that she enjoyed hers as much as I enjoyed mine. We also ordered a fruit plate to contrast all the heavy foods we'd been eating for the past week. Looking around, every guest was smiling over their breakfast.
(4)
Andrew G.

A local restaurant in every respect: locally sourced food as well as most of the worthy locals. Your reps as well as council members and the Mayor all dine here as well as the usual artist/music/post hipster crowd. When in season the snapper hash is a must have, as well as any dish with their great array of varietal shrooms.....be prepared for your servers political opinions on whatever the topic of the day may be...this place is all of what Portland is in one room....weekends are jammed after 8:30ish.
(5)
Heather N.

Nicest waitress ever!!! She offered to go to her car to get a map of the city, so that we could better enjoy our vacation in Portland. We didn't let her but gave her a fat tip! I had a cheese and mushroom omelette that had a wonderful sharp cheddar and somehow still firm, sautÃ©ed mushrooms. Husband had smoked goat cheese omelette. Cleaned our plates!
(5)
L T.

Great breakfast place w/ tasty oyster hash!
(5)
Kirk F.

Creative and beautiful breakfasts. I had the oyster hash and was really happy. Lots of other breakfasts that will get me back for another visit--I like that the omelets are not the huge, giant, fluffy gut-bomb variety, they are delicate with more emphasis on the fillings. Good coffee. I was there on a weekday and so there was no line...lines kill me. Off a star for haphazard though friendly service--it just seemed like a long time to order, get coffee, etc. given the moderate crowd.
(4)
Alex F.

This is what a cafe is all about. It seems like such a simple concept, but the execution is usually just off. Bijou Cafe does a brilliant job of delivering quality, unadulterated food. The menu is simple and straightforward - perfect for early breakfast or brunch. Even the lunch item I tried was just right! I tried the cranberry compote/turkey sandwich on a ciabatta roll as well as the potato sautÃ©. The sandwich was well-balanced and subtle; it didn't taste like a big bite of Thanksgiving. The potato sautÃ© was probably my favorite. I could tell it was freshly prepared, and the seasoning was just right. My only complaint about the meal was the fresh orange juice. It was super bitter! They needed to mix in a different variety of orange to give it some sweetness. The homemade ketchup made up for it, though. I couldn't get enough!
(4)
Charlie Y.

Was on my way to Voodoo doughnuts, but with the line around the building, I decided to stop by Bijou Cafe. I classic cafe in a cozy setting. Ordered an oyster omelette (fresh NW oysters, bacon and onions) with potatoes and baguette bread. The omelette was absolutely amazing. I believe dreams are made of oysters and bacon (right?). Nothing overwhelming and all the flavors working in harmony. Definitely on the savory breakfast side and one of the best I've have. Also had a tasty glass of fresh squeezed grapefruit juice. Some of the waitresses here are seriously attractive, gorgeous.
(5)
Jimmie S.

The food here was absolutely delicious. There was a bit of a wait considering it was late morning on a Thursday, but it was well worth it. My eggs and veggies were perfectly prepared, and my meat-eating friend said his chicken confit and apple pancake were the best thing he'd eaten during our whole vacation in Portland. The staff was quick and friendly. I wish we'd gone earlier during our trip so we could've visited a few more times. Ah, well. There's always next vacation!
(5)
sarah l.

Service - good, down to earth servers and hostess. Food - I had the french omelette with oysters. DELICIOUS!! I love the style of the french omelette b/c it's softer, lighter, and very fluffy. the carter farm eggs were the best eggs my husband has ever had! but the pork sausage was kind of weird and made him burp all day long. gross. Homemade Jam was delicious.
(4)
Bruce W.

Bijou is our favorite Portland breakfast spot when visiting from the SF Bay Area. We've been three times in 12 months and have enjoyed the food made with quality locally-sourced ingredients, good service and all around good vibe each time. The coffee is dark and rich, the OJ freshly squeezed, and the egg dishes have always been served with the eggs cooked a bit on the soft side, which I think is the only way to eat eggs. During our first visit, I was on a hash tour; sampling a different treat each morning (Gravy, Fullers, Bijou, La Provence in Lake Oswego). When I saw the Oyster Hash on the menu at Bijou, I knew I'd have to try it. And, while I did enjoy the first few bites, a little goes a long way because it is so rich. On my second visit, I had the Roast Beef Hash and liked it better over all. My wife and daughter have eaten the omelets and loved them. We'll be in Portland again in a few weeks and will be heading back to Bijou Cafe for breakfast again.
(4)
Steph A.

First off, service was great! My waitress was smiley, attentive and never let my glass of water or coffee go dry. Food.. Well the menu was deceiving... I ordered the cauliflower and kale hash. I was excited for vegetables, because to my disappointment, Portland is such a heavy meat and potatoes kind of place. This only added to my disappointment. The cauliflower and kale hash consisted of 4 sliced pieces of cauliflower and a sprinkle of shredded kale. The kale only served as a garnish! It didn't even add up to one leaf of kale! The plate was 90% potatoes! Portland likes to think its a foodie place but its only a foodie place if your from the Midwest. My fiancÃ© ordered the farmers omelet. It again was mostly potatoes. Cheap and deceiving. We ordered the buttermilk pancakes and instead were served the buckwheat pancakes. That was fine, we didn't point it out or send it back. I was a little irritated that she didn't say anything when she gave it to us. CLEARLY it was the wrong order. The pancake was a giant soggy floppy mess. I regret eating it. Overall disappointed in the food. Don't get me wrong, we ate our food because we were starving and in a hurry, but we'll never come here again. I was really hoping for beautiful vegetables but just ended up with the same heavy food being served everywhere else in Portland. I feel like they have nice ingredients but they don't know how to use them.
(2)
Lindsay P.

We really liked this little European oasis... that cafÃ© feel, bright setting with great background music (there for brunch so no live music) I enjoyed a unique hash; cauliflower, kale and harissa. I expected it to have a little more heat then it did, but otherwise it tasted great. I also enjoyed a loose leaf earl grey. Would be a regular if I lived close by.
(5)
Viola Y.

Love the tofu scramble here! I come here for brunch whenever I visit Portland.
(5)
David c.

Bartender from el Groucho recommended this place and he was right. The food has several Mexican/Cuban/American fusion breakfast items which were delectable. They get their incurred bacon from a local farm and all of their vegetables are organically grown. Great breakfast and very nice server
(5)
Waled M.

Ok food .be careful with the bread they will charge you $2 every time you ask for more
(3)
Bertha F.

Unfair seating policy! We had been waiting over 30 minutes when the hostess shouted "we've got two at the bar for whoever wants it!" Two men farther down the list than us swooped in and took the seats. We pointed out to the hostess that we (and others) were higher on the list. She responded, "Well, there's nothing I can do now." We left. I would also like to add the that restaurant had stuffy, stinky air. We will never return.
(2)
Tamsen G.

Update, sadly, with a downturn for the once perfect Bijou. Why the long face? I'll tell you. In the traditional Bijou, which really didn't change for years and years, you could have breakfast in a warm, bustling room with original hardwood floors, exposed brick and beams, and a 'diner grows up' ambiance. And the food was wonderful. They used to have the best pan fried potatoes in Portland. It was really a destination spot for us, and had a very unique feel. I came in again with my son a few weeks ago - and much to our dismay and chagrin, they had remodeled. Or semi-remodeled. Hard floors replaced with vinyl (BOOOOOO), bricks painted over, and a new "corporate" feel. Now, I live in the corporate world myself, but the best thing about Portland is that you can escape from it in many great restaurants. The last thing I want to do on a weekend is to go to corporateville. Bijou Cafe always had corporate diners, and I have been one of them. But boo on Bijou for taking away what was really perfect the way it was. AND THE BACON!!! Ugh. I ordered a side of bacon, and it came to my table DRIPPING with fat. Like, all over the bacon pieces and the place was splattered with it. It was an utter FAIL. I had to send it back, it was just gross. Oh, and the perfect panfried potatoes? Their once crisp panfries have gone limp. And they've cut the portion size down considerably. Net net: We're shopping for a new favorite breakfast spot. Sorry, Bijou. Your original splendor will be missed.
(3)
Lan H.

We just finished the Worst Day of the Year Ride, and we were starving. We first headed to Mother's but the wait was 45 minutes. We Yelped for another brunch place and found Bijou, which was a few blocks away. Thank goodness! Loved it. There was a short wait, and when we were seated, our table was close to the door so it was drafty. However the food made up for it. I had a mix of fresh squeezed orange and grapefruit juice, which was just a perfect mix of tart and sweet. I ordered the buttermilk fried chicken and cornmeal pancakes, which was a menu special. Delicious. The chicken was seasoned well and very crunchy. The pancakes were dense and served with a bell pepper paste, which was very tasty and complimented the cornmeal in the pancakes. The pancakes also had honey butter, which is always good. Since I was starving I also ordered a side of three fried oysters and a poached egg. The oysters were a little under seasoned despite it being advertised as having paprika, which I did not taste. However it was fried well and had a nice crunch with the goodness of the oysters. The poached egg came out just right. My friend had the cheese omelet, and he said it was excellent.
(5)
Mondo F.

Skip that crowds at Mother's (though this place can get crowded at times) and come here for amazing food, excellent service, and a nice dining room. I've ALWAYS enjoyed my meals here!
(5)
Bruno G.

A nice breakfast and very friendly waitstaff. There was about a 10 minute wait for a table, even on a Monday morning, and it was longer by the time we left. We would go back.
(4)
Shannon H.

Like a lot of places in Portland, tries hard to be trendy. Clean place. Food was ok. Waitress was brief with us, but warmed up as the breakfast went on. Had a much more enjoyable breakfast at the Dinerant. Probably more my speed...
(3)
Victoria C.

I'm not sure what the big deal is with this place. People keep telling me that Portland is a foodie city, but so far, during my three weekend visits here, I've yet to believe this. At Bijou, the wait is long, the servers minimally friendly with barely a good morning, and the food just average tasting. My bf liked his orange juice (fresh squeezed, and nicely sweet) and chicken quesadillas with pumpkin mole, but it was overstuffed with too much chicken and not enough sauce. It was very dry. I got the oyster hash and was not impressed. Sure, they were generous with the oysters, but I'm not a fan of the cornmeal dredge. It was way too blackened and pretty much burnt. And the potatoes were likewise on the burnt side. I love me some crispyness, but damn. I don't want to eat charred food. I'd probably come again, though, just because there's not many other brunch places to go to aside from Bijou and Mother's Bistro.
(3)
Mari K.

OMG OMG OMG. Best Omelets ever! Seriously, love to go out to restaurants for breakfast and this one did not disappoint. The menu was focused and rustic, ingredients fresh, ambiance is like a cute little french bistro. I had the wild mushroom omelet and as a mushroom lover was in total heaven. The eggs were so fluffy, seriously magical. OH and the homemade ketchup. YUMMM. I will definitely go again next time I'm back in Portland!
(5)
Heather S.

Having brunch, grilled coulote stk with chanterelles.
(4)
JW R.

"Oh, we don't have soft drinks." the poor waiter said. It was all I could do to not bust out my best Lt Cedric Daniels impression. This. Is BULLshit. No pop? What the hell? Are you trying to fuck up my morning? Dirty hippies can make it to the God damned Cash & Carry to pick up a flat of Mexican coke but you people in black can't manage that? Why not put up a sign on the door that says "Boring Assholes Only." Hey, this is my subjective experience. Go get your own. I like pop. Also, crazy waitress who walked up behind Brett and apropos of nothing TOUCHED THE BACK OF HIS NECK to fix the tag on his t-shirt, how do you still have a job? So, the food. It was okay. My scrambled eggs were cooked just a few seconds past runny. I like them set a bit more but they were still okay. The bacon was good and the diced potatos were, well, not hash browns but I've accepted that most lazy hipster pseudo-fancy pants P-town breakfast cooks can't be bothered with hash browns. Anyway. Questionable inventory practices and crazy servers (although the one we had was nice enough). No way I'm coming back to this place. Fair? Life's not fair.
(2)
Nyll L.

This was awful. Just awful. If I could give it no stars I would, but the waitress was pleasant, so I suppose it does deserve one. No notice when I walked in - took a while for the clearly harried hostess to help me (new to the restaurant, wasn't clear you just had to sign in and wait to be called). Atmosphere is fine. But the food...the food... The food was absolutely awful. It was laughable. And what was more absurd was that I paid more than $15 for a terrible breakfast. Tofu scramble was greasy, no vegetables in it. Salad next to it was poorly dressed and tasted limp and bland. The fruit "plate" I ordered consisted of a dessert plate with 6 paper thin slices of strawberry, 5 brown slices of banana, a paper thin slice of orange, and a few token cubes of cantaloupe. The tea, which was $3.50, came with water that was lukewarm. Ugh.
(1)
Seb D.

Every trip to Portland involve a bfast at Bijou. We had breakfast there this morning and one again it was delicious. I usually go for the special of the day which I had again this morning..... Fantastic!
(5)
Sonia C.

I liked the food here but I didn't think it was as good as the two other brunch places that I've been to in Portland - Mother's and Tasty n Sons. The location, however, is super convenient if you are staying in downtown Portland. I ordered the mushroom hash which had some very tasty mushrooms but also contained too many potatoes and too tart & spicy salsa. It was still good, but the sour salsa got to be overwhelming after awhile. It also did not come with eggs or toast. Overall, I thought my dish was probably the least winning out of all the dishes at my table. Besides the sauteed mushrooms, the best thing about my food was the side order of super juicy and fresh heirloom tomatoes. Everyone else seemed to enjoy their food and from what I've sampled, it seemed like I had just ordered the wrong thing - hence I'm willing to give this place 4 stars. The oyster hash (also sans eggs!) was pretty good - very large oysters breaded and deep fried over the same bed of potatoes. I guess deep-frying something always makes the whole dish better! My friend said her oyster omelette was also really good - it was served French-style and seemed to be crammed with oysters and bacon. They also serve an assortment of homemade jams at the table. Service was great. Waitress came by to refill water and coffee glasses multiple times.
(4)
C T.

Vegetarian friendly, i was thrilled to have breakfast at the bar this morning --black kale, cauliflower, dried black olives, potatoes, feta with 2 gorgeous sunnyside eggs perched on top. Meat-eaters, you might think this sounds gross, but there looked like lots of meatalicious things to have. I was in heaven. the portion size was perfect for me with good presentation. definately will go back. I thought it was a little expensive for a non-meat dish $11 but everything was fresh, local, thoughtful. I'd have like to pay about $9 then it'd be 5 star. Note: sitting at the bar made it super easy, and the staff were very friendly.
(4)
Myca T.

Tasty and a nice reprieve from the rain. Food was delicious and artfully plated. It's kind of small but very airy and bright. I got an omelet with sausage, spinach and goat cheese and I ate every last bit of it with the apple muffin.
(4)
Francisco M.

Who dares not give this a 5 star review? Bring them before me and I shall deliver a stern finger wagging and a haughty tsk-tsk-tsk. This place is unbelievable. I went there two times this weekend, once on business and once just because i had to share it with family. On the first visit, my associate and I had already ordered; he the buckwheat pancakes and I the granola and yogurt.. After placing our order, we saw the kitchen guys come in with a whole mess of fresh Chantrelle mushrooms. You want to know how I know they were fresh? Homeboy had mud on his boots. THATS RIGHT they went and got the damn things and were featuring them on their special board. Gryuere and Chantrelle omelettes. I regretted not getting that, but I didn't make the same mistake twice. I did go back and get the omlette a few days later and it was just out of this world. I can say that i left, fat, dumb and happy for sure. I seriously hate finding places this good, only because in Portland there are so many good dining options. How can I just restrict myself to one place? Am I cheating on the Bijou if I have brunch at another location next time I'm in town? Will I just be going through the motions, feeding a basic need to dine thinking about Bijou the whole time? Am I less of a person if I have a moment of weakness with Voodoo Doughnut? Byways keeps looking at me too, should we get a cup of coffee? These are valid moral and ethical questions that deserve an answer.
(5)
C I.

I decided to go here on a Saturday morning based on the reviews on Yelp. I was visiting Portland for a few days. It was around 10AM, and the place was packed. There was a long wait, which is a good sign on a Saturday morning. I got a vegetable omelette with cheese. It was very good! Country potatoes were great too. The service was good considering how packed they were. So here comes the reason for -1 star... Their muffin of the day was Apple Walnut, which sounded so good to me. So I asked the waitress for it , and she said ok. When she brought the food, she told me she had no clue what kind of muffin it was because she just brought whatever came out of the oven! I tried it, and it certainly was NOT an apple walnut muffin. Noooooo... I was so disappointed! I couldn't complain because she seemed very very busy... :'(
(4)
Bill N.

Really, really good goat cheese and bacon omelette. I need to make that for myself sometime. Potatos were barely brown and almost raw. I like breakfast potatoes to be a bit crispy. Meg had an oyster omelette that she really liked. We were here on a Saturday morning about 9:00, just before the line started to form... also...didn't like the wheat bread- too hard.
(4)
Casey H.

Best French omlettes, and everything else is consistently good. My favorite breakfast spot in Portland.
(5)
Chris O.

My wife and I love this place, but today we BOTH GOT SICK, after eating there. Anyone else? December 26, 2011. I have never had a problem here in the past. Everything has always been top notch. Today we shared each other's food. The two items we both had are: House-made Carlton Pork Sausage & Eggs & Pastrami - with house-made sauerkraut on rye. We both have nausea and something else which needs Imodium. I hope I can make it to the store and back..
(5)
Stephenie B.

Was expecting a whole different experience, unfortunately (hopefully) caught them on a bad day. We were a group of 7, and even though they only had about 6 other tables seated in the whole place, crammed us in a 5 top to where we were practically sitting on each other's laps. It would have been very easy to move another smaller 2 top over, and there was no high demand for any tables around us. Bacon was good, organic, $1.50/slice, and microscopic. Left a lot to be desired. Food wasn't terrible, just average. Our waiter was friendly and food arrived fast.
(2)
Kris U.

A perfect Sunday brunch experience and these are the reasons why: - Cute cozy place with the charm of a small town diner only warmer. - Super friendly waitress who was so obviously in love with their food. She informed us they use mostly organically grown local products. That always gives me the warm fuzzies. - My "special omelet of the day", chorizo and smoked cheddar. It came out so perfect, with the eggs appearing in such a crepe like delicacy that I kind of hated to break it open. But once I did it revealed a hearty amount of flavorful spicy chorizo and cheese inside. - The anisette orange toast. Perfect flavor and not overpowering, on toasted bread al la Sizzler cheese bread style...YUM! - The side of tomatoes on my plate (please get this side instead of the potatoes!). It's been a long time since I've seen a tomato this gorgeous: vibrant red in color and the perfect amount of firm and juicy; it was the perfect "dessert".
(5)
Raymond T.

Second time dining here and both times it's been outstanding! Their omelets are so light, filled with a variety of fresh, local ingredients. I had the Redwood? With bacon, goat cheese and green onions along with home fries and muffin. They make their own ketchup which I could eat plain! Excellent coffee and service..This place can get busy but its worth it!
(4)
Roseanne J.

I love this place, everything was good.
(5)
Mari N.

Very thoughtful breakfast menu with some interesting specials. Nice to be able to have green salad as a side instead of carbs. Service is friendly and efficient. Tables are very small: our party of four was squeezed into what would be a 2-top in most other restaurants, so when my loose-leaf tea came, there was no room for anything else at my places (teapot, bowl for strainer, sugar, milk, cup). I have tried as number of breakfast spots in this area of Portland, Bijou is my favorite.
(4)
Chris C.

I've been going here for years and still enjoy it immensely. If I'm asked to reccommend one dish it would be the TOFU SCRAMBLE WITH PARSLEY & GARLIC SAUTÃ‰ED IN OLIVE OIL.......DELICIOUS EVER TIME! Doesn't matter who's cooking it....they never mess it up and the flavors/seasoning is amazing. Get in there and get it ASAP!
(4)
Zaphod B.

Great coffee, brioche french toast was quite good. Bacon done properly and the service was efficient and friendly. Not quite Screen Door, but less of a wait for late risers.
(4)
Mike R.

I like going here after 1:00 pm on the weekend. No waiting but they close at 2:00. You might miss out on some specials but the main menu is delightful. Oyster sandwiches or hamburgers are wonderful. Oysters come with homemade cole slaw love the jalapeÃ±os that spark up its taste. Hamburgers have homemade potato salad no mayo substitute with yogurt instead! The staff are great and even by the end of their shift are still doing a great job to make your meal pleasing and tasteful. Their muffins are made fresh daily and are wholesome as well as tasty alongside your pick from the menu that day. There are numerous other hidden delights that you will find when you enjoy this popular Portland eatery.
(5)
Rick M.

Pretty much just 'meh' all around. Service was meh, food was meh, atmosphere was meh, nothing really stood out about this place at all. For the same money I can get way better service and food at a number of places like screen door or tin shed.
(3)
Andra H.

Yummy yet expensive food. Try to go when the owner isn't there, so you don't have to witness her yelling at the staff while they serve you food.
(2)
carrie r.

The food was boring, plain & so over priced. We were a table of 4 & my parents use to love this place. It has been years in-between visits. This place has gone down hill! Each one of our plates were over priced, undercooked eggs (I mean runny egg whites dripping off the plate. gross!) & the service was the worse! Our waitress looked like she hated her job & us along with it. I had to go to counter for refills of the coffee, ask another person for water & track down someone to pay our bill after waiting for 15 minuets! She (our waitress) wouldn't tell us her name (now I know why) but she is older, long grey hair & crass. I would run from this place & find another wonderful place to eat. This was by far one of the worst dining experiences in Portland & I do not understand why anyone would give it anything more than a one star. Between poor service & over priced gross food, I am surprised this place is in business at all.
(1)
Shannon B.

I was intending to visit a different cafe, but they were closed and Bijou Cafe was within walking distance. This is a very artsy and quirky place. I ordered the tuna panini with the house salad. Nothing special at all!!! The house salad was very sloppy and carelessly composed of lettuce which was not fresh as evident by the the brown tinged pieces of lettuce. It took forever to get the check and then finally get the change.
(2)
Catherine G.

I'd like to tell the woman who has banned Bijou that she should not give up! We went this past Saturday and had a very nice personable hostess and a great waitress (Eve). The place was busy but we only waited 10 mins which is not bad at all. It was my first time and I had the Farmer's omelet which was really good and the grilled cinnamon bread which was insanely good! Oh and what's not to like about a mimosa made with fresh squeezed orange juice?! I'm not often downtown on the weekends but I would recommend it!
(3)
Anna B.

Hey, Bijou- do you know what a hash is? It is not a cold plate of large diced potatoes with overcooked meats thrown on top. A hash is a magical dish that should be tiny pieces of all involved ingredients, given time to meld in a medium-hot saute pan. The meld is key, too- hash ingredients should all have taken on the subtle tastes of one another. Here's the sitch: Bijou is fun in that it is an old Portland mainstay, and it's fun to go downtown for breakfast once in a while. Fun place to take visitors- check out the Wall O' Pets in front of the restrooms. They were very accommodating to our ever-changing guest list. We were that annoying group of people with too many to fit at one table. Good job Bijou for being chipper and friendly when we finally sat at two separate tables, 40 minutes later. Mad props. However, food. was. awful. The appetizer muffin was garbage. We had three hashes on the table: roast beef, mushroom, and oyster. Roast beef was naught more than a pile of tough sinew atop unsalted potatoes and underneath two undercooked eggs. I'm all for runny eggs, but you have to at least pass the cooking point of slime-whites. Come on. The oysters, while breaded in cornmeal and fried (anything prepared as such is usually delicious) were so far overcooked that it was a crime. Flash fry. That's all you need to do to cook an oyster. Do not defer from this edict. Unless you're slamming them down your gullet raw, those slimy bastards should not be in a pan for more than 20 seconds. Mushroom hash: more than ten bucks for cold potatoes with maybe three quartered criminis. 'Nuff said. The cute pot of ketchup and a heavy dousing of salt helped a bit, but not lots. Could have made ten servings of that myself for $2. Service, while not good, was VERY friendly. We are a free-wheelin' and easy bunch. We are not phased by being given the wrong plate or drinks- we roll with the punches. But when the water-filler-person comes by and fills up a juice glass with water and comments, "Wow, that looks gross and cloudy", we've got a problem. We had a pretty involved discussion about the perfect mimosa ratio while waiting for our food. My stance is that the perfect mimosa is 100% bubbly and 0% juice, but the rest of the table contends that 75/25 is good. I'll take their word for it, but bet on the opposite at Bijou. Lotta juice, a little bubbly (of unspecified variety on the menu... Freixnet?). It's a $0.25 difference for the juice. Kudos on the fresh dates in the fruit plate. No kudos on charging $2.50 for a half grapefruit. In conclusion, we had a nice time. Everyone was friendly and accommodating, even when we had a last-minute diner show up mid-meal. Losta fun conversations, including with the waitress, but the food is not so good. Perhaps a nice place to take the visiting out-of-town parents who are not foodies, but not a regular hangout.
(2)
Philip S.

Very good lunch on 15 September. First time in since the remodel. Everything very tasty.
(3)
Tran L.

We visited based upon Yelp reviews and unique menu offerings. I ordered the Oyster Hash, and my BF had the Seasonal Squash Hash. Both dishes were large and great to share and pretty good. A little pricey. We received the same size portions and ordered more at Mother's Bistro for about the same price... I did love the space--high ceilings, cute design and large open windows and space.
(3)
JEN S.

I am one of Bijou Cafe's biggest supporters but after todays fiasco I'm adding it to the "banned" list. My husband and I were seated around 11:30 and placed our orders by 11:40. We sat in the middle of the dining room for nearly an hour while our waitress ignored us and two sets of patrons at each table around us had been served, eaten and paid. Our waters were filled every 15 minutes but not once did our waitress even look at us, nor address why our food was taking so long. We both ordered the two egg dishes, the simplest and easiest things to make on the menu. Closing in on the 50 minute mark my husband got the waitress' attention and said, "Excuse me I was just wondering if our food..." and he was abruptly cut off as she said "an order is up in the kitchen!" We had wanted to ask if our food had been started because if not, we were going to cut our losses and go somewhere else. Turns out it was our orders that were up, she slapped them down on the table, again without making eye contact or apologizing for the wait. She then dropped off our bill 30 seconds later. I just don't understand the rude service. My husband and I were more than courteous, we didn't even ask her for one thing until an hour later when we were wondering where our food was. All she needed to do was address the situation rather than completely ignore it. I am typically a 20% tipper and have only NOT tipped twice in my life, this was one of those times. I have noticed that the service is quickly going downhill. I am not sure what happened to the very friendly host/waiter that used to work there, he was awesome.
(1)
Sean J.

Not as good as Mother's or Fuller cafe. Eggs are underdone, even for over easy. Potatoes are very good and I really like the homemade ketchup. The baguettes are great with the jam and butter. Very long line, slightly chaotic wait list and they don't call you so you need to be in the lobby when it's your time. Not too bad.
(3)
Eddie C.

Had a delicious omelet made w/ local wild mushrooms. The salad that came w/ it was excellent, super fresh greens and an amazing lemon vinaigrette. I also love that they serve great loose leaf tea that you can steep yourself, and also at the right water temperature. Dragonwell tea was excellent, in large part because they actually used water that wasn't boiling, which a lot of places in America unfortunately still do for green tea. Best meal I had in Portland.
(5)
Ann S.

Too few vegetarian options and the tofu dish they do have was inedible.
(1)
Cookin B.

A legend and will always be. Don't ever close this place. Keep it alive forever. I've known the Bijou for some time now and the omelets are just as perfect as they were back in 2002. Mixed well, perfect color, light and flavorful with perfect ingredients of sauteed onions and chanterelles. (the special omelet) The Bijou is what eating better is all about and worth every cent. Now that they are serving drinks, there's nothing like a Gin and tonic in the morning, to enjoy a fine breakfast served from friendly people. the remodel is not bad, but I am not a huge fan of the servers wearing black and the cooks NEED white chefs coats. Eve is number one.
(5)
Katherine A.

Went in for brunch and ordered oatmeal (which is on their menu), but apparently they don't serve it after 11 (which is not on their menu). That's fine, but the sandwich I order in its place was not great. The turkey was tasty, but there was no trace of the jalapenos described on the menu, and it was entirely too sweet. Additionally, the sandwich also managed to be dry. Finally, the waitress forgot the coffee I ordered, however, she was great about a food allergy in the group, so that's a plus. I believe this was a unique experience - everyone else in my party was very happy with their meals - but I felt it merited a review. I'd give it another try, but I certainly wouldn't go out of my way for it.
(2)
Anthony C.

Goat cheese omelette cooked perfectly. Side of Harissa was an excellent accompaniment. Sweet potato muffin so good I ordered an extra to bring home to my wife in Arkansas.
(5)
William W.

This is a good place to eat breakfast. The omelettes are French style, with a lot of interesting choices, such as smoked goat cheddar.
(4)
David P.

The roast beef hash with 2 over easy eggs was the best breakfast plate I've ever had. Period.
(5)
John D.

Mediocre food, mediocre service our server wasn't bad just seemed like he needs a good day at the beach to relax. A bad bloody Mary, how do you mess that up? Not impressed maybe I have a high standard for breakfast food but after almost an entire bottle of the green sauce, extra salt and pepper it started to have enough flavor to eat... We had the hash & a omelette both where pretty bad if I'm being honest with everyone reading this, I wouldn't recommend eating here until they step it up a bit.
(2)
Chris W.

Worth the wait...you'll wait between 10-30 minutes and you need to sign in on a clipboard much like playing pick-up ball at the Y. Aside from the occasional screaming kid, a nice downtown atmosphere with an unfinished warehouse feel. The menu was pretty much broken down into omelets, cakey stuff, and house specials. We had French toast, pancakes, and the spicy lamb sausage hash. The French toast was average so if you are in that mood, go for the pancakes!! They were awesome - I ordered an extra one (which was slid onto my order at no extra charge!) The lamb hash was a nice combo of spicy lamb sausage, breakfast potatoes, onions, and covered by an over-easy egg. This dish would have been plenty on it's own but my taste buds were diverted by the luscious buttermilk pancake. (see photos) It took forever to get our check and we had to ask the waiter for many things during the meal, but the food made it worthwhile.
(4)
Terry S.

First of all, the marionberry jam is delicious, on it's own or spread on their perfectly soft an crusty baguette. Their omelettes are cooked with a perfection I haven't seen anywhere else. I had the goat-cheddar bacon omelette, and my girl had the chanteuse mushroom omelette (daily special). Both were great, but the mushrooms were way too earthy and mushroom-y for my taste (I tolerate mushrooms, but don't worship them). We got in at 8 am on a weekday, got a table with no wait, but the place had filled up by the time we left. Kind of pricy, but not formal. Great place for a tasty fancy breakfast.
(4)
Chris D.

Came here because we'd eaten 2 days in a row at Sugar Mama's. Orange juice: perfect. Cappuccino: perfect. Pear muffin: excellent. Salmon hash: not actually hash, it's a hunk of salmon over chopped fried onions and potatoes. Not bad. Wild mushroom and cheddar omelet: fluffy, mushroomy, cheesy perfection. Made me realize that I stopped liking omelets because they're always overcooked, and this one wasn't. Like every breakfast place, it gets packed around 10am on weekends, so haul yourself out of bed sooner.
(4)
Elizabeth C.

Stumbled upon this place cause we really wanted to have breakfast at mothers bistro but the waiting list was ridiculous so we left..we found bijou cafe near by with a shorter wait so we gave it a try.. First of all, the waitress was an elderly lady who is prob really miserable in life, wasn't friendly at all, meant to place our napkin and silver wear on the table but literally slammed it on, I asked for a Bloody Mary and she asked me why? Aren't you too young to be drinking anyway? I said no and ill show you my ID, she said no and walked off. Came back with a horrible drink as well as my breakfast which was really oily and greasy. My bf was satisfied with his omelet but we're sure to not come back to this place again.
(2)
Andrew S.

Great breakfast! The strawberry rhubarb compote (daily special) was amazing over buttermilk pancakes. Plan to wait a few minutes for a table though, they are busy.
(5)
Aaron D.

Great food, great service. Joel was a gem. I'm so glad he decided to not stay in LA like me. Portland the place for him, and Bijou's the place for me. Get the brioche french toast. It's the best I've had in the PNW.
(5)
Brian R.

I've never been a big fan of text speak, but Bijou CafÃ© is an OMG. The Oyster Hash is singularly one of the best things that I've ever eaten. In a Portland filled with amazing places to eat, this is a great place for breakfast or lunch. They also have dinners, which I have not tried, and jazz evenings, which I would love to try one day. The place is Aging Post Hippie, and the servers tend to be senior granola mamas big on personality but a little forgetful here and there on details. They drop a star because the 70s decor needs a refresh. Five star food does not deserve a three star dining room.
(4)
Robert W.

Best breakfast in Portland - great omelettes and oatmeal. Friendly, efficient service. Pleasant setting and great location.
(5)
Adrian K.

I have the fondest memories of coming here as a kid, nestling down at the table and drawing in my coloring book as we brunched. This is one of those iconic Portland spots... it's been around forever, and with good reason! Their brunch makes me homesick. (Nevermind friends or family, just their brunch.) It's always been a bit of a wait, but so utterly worth it.
(4)
Samantha T.

The oyster hash.... very very good.... you have to try it to believ it. Don't forget to add a sunny side up egg on top of it.
(4)
Jessica C.

Great little cafe. The food was wonderful and the service was even better. Our server Andrea was very accommodating and knowledgable. Try the tofu scramble! Will definitely be going back soon. Highly recommended :)
(5)
David W.

I had an omelette. The bacon inside was very tasty. It was very light and creamy. The OJ was freshly squeezed. I really enjoyed the place.
(4)
Grace H.

Terrible waitress and the pancakes are very undercooked. I actually tasted raw dough in the two bites I ate before I asked the waitress to take them back and bring a darker, cooked pancake. 10 minutes went by. No pancake. The waitress walked by three times and never communicated if the pancake was actually on it's way. She even left the bill on the table and to-go bags for the stale muffins that came with the lukewarm, runny omelet After 15 minutes I put on my coat, scarf and went to pay my bill and asked the same waitress if she would take the pancake off my bill since it was not brought to our table. She said it was coming and to wait for it. I went back to my seat and my guest took the bill to the manager and explained that we had been waiting for the pancake but now we had to leave. The manager took it off the bill, and for the trouble she did not charge for the coffee. As I was just about to fill out the tip portion on the receipt, the waitress walked up to me holding a plate with a pancake and said "Do you want this to go?" I said no thank you. She then proceeded to toss the plate across the counter and said "Anyone want a pancake?!!" The manager had to hold out her hand to stop the plate from sliding off the counter. That was the first time in my life I have left ZERO for the tip.
(1)
Beth A.

I don't like eating breakfast... and I LOVED brunch at the Bijou Cafe! The food is unbelievable--I shared the sheeps milk feta omelette and the omelette with the bacon, cheddar and chives. I would recommend getting the sliced side tomatoes--they tasted homegrown and were amazing. The oatmeal was also great as were the potato dishes and the pancakes with fruit on top. The service was good too!
(5)
Kevin H.

I was hovering between two and three stars here. Love the space, cool folk art on the walls, nice vibe going on. It was busy, but they have a self sign in list which I dig. We ordered eggs and house made sausage and the beef hash. The eggs were fine, toast was good, berry jam lovely. The sausage had a peculiar blend of spices that i could not immediately identify, but it was not my favorite. It was served in one small patty, so portion size was an issue here as well. definitely house made, but the spice combo was a bit odd, as well as being on the bland side, not enough salt and pepper. The hash serving was monstrous, with big chunks of beef and potato and onion.One issue here was that the meat and hash was void of flavor. It was more steamed than hashed if that makes any sense. No crispy bits, no seasoning, not even a hint of brown on the meat. This dish was very bland and texturally not too appealing. Coffee was good and hot and the service was ample. I did see some killer looking omelets go out, so if I was to give this place another go, I might lean that direction.
(2)
Doug R.

Really enjoyed the breakfast and the atmosphere. Very friendly staff and customers
(4)
Nio S.

What a great morning to start off with amazing breakfast at this awesome restaurant. I would suggest getting here early because the line starts to pick up around 9am and it is out the door. The turn around time for waiting is pretty fast but I would still get here early. My wife ordered the Farmers Omelette and I got the Brioche French Toast that came with two different syrups and strawberry preserves...we tried each others dishes and both were amazing with vibrant flavor...definitely a place to experience in Portland for breakfast, I hope you find a chance to try this restaurant....happy eats!!!
(4)
E G.

There is nothing inherently wrong with this spot. However, I feel that the food is mediocre. I paid $10 for two undercooked eggs and 3 minuscule pieces of fancy bacon. I'm still hungry.
(3)
William P.

How did it take me so long to try Bijou? After just one visit, I'd say this ranks among the best Portland breakfast experiences I've had west of the Willamette. Everything was pitch-perfect: the light, open decor, friendly service, delicious cranberry-blueberry juice, nourishing tofu scramble, and so on. And, to top it all, reasonable prices. The only place that approximates the casual elegance of Bijou on this side of the river is Besaw's. But I dare say I prefer Bijou. Let the B's have it.
(5)
Pam R.

Great food.... Literally everything on the menu has been fantastic! Worth the wait to get in!
(4)
Jeff M.

Used to be our go-to breakfast spot when we stayed downtown. Much of what they make is excellent, but the roast beef hash left me wanting. Too many tough chunks for 8 AM. Plus it got stuck in my teeth. Plus you are likely to get a an arrogant waiter. DEFINITELY not OK at 8 AM. However, they open earlier than Mother's, so we gave them another shot this morning. Great eggs and taters. Great granola with fried bananas and (GASP!!!) clearly non-WA/OR apples. So so cinnamon french toast. The best part was our extra-friendly waitress who immediately began enthralling us with her observations about politics, society, and the 60's. We'll go back now.
(4)
Linda F.

Excellent food, especially the oyster hash which was delicious and very rich. The server dropped our check when we received our food and only refilled the coffee once towards the end of our meal. Understandably, they were busy but we felt too rushed. The hostess was very accommodating and polite. We were told a 30 minute wait but it only took 10 minutes to get a table.
(4)
Kerala Jane H.

4 words: Sheep's milk feta omelette. Simple, remarkably satisfying and oozy. However, the eggs had a weird consistency. They were too perfect and smooth, there's no way they can be normal... is there? However, the flavor was still tasty, and I really can't stress how amazing an omelette filled entirely with fresh delicious feta is. Also, I'm normally not such a huge fan of homefries, but I would eat these again in a heartbeat. There were plenty of crispy bits, which is pretty much the only thing I like about homefries.
(4)
melita s.

Unique, tasty brunch options prepared with fresh, locally-sourced ingredients. We had the chicken quesadilla and a delicious cauliflower and black kale hash. Service was prompt and attentive, and we didn't even notice that we were the last customers in the restaurant because we were distracted by our delectable dishes, and no one tried to rush us out :)
(4)
Matt M.

Cafe Bijou is a friendly little breakfast joint. The omelets are amazing! Perfectly cooked and never greasy. The atmosphere is clean, quaint and cozy. Staff is very friendly and you get a sense that everyone cares about the outcome for each guest. I recommend Bijou for breakfast as I have not been there for lunch or dinner. Very affordable breakfast.
(4)
Helena B.

OK, imagine the cutest place you've ever had brunch. Now multiply by ten. And add gingham curtains. (love!) I only had to glance at the menu for a second to know what I was getting. Pumpkin Mole Quesadilla! Um, have we met? I love mole... and pumpkin... AND QUESADILLAS! Swoon! (They lived up to the hype, too. Perfectly spicy mole with a touch of nutty pumpkin. I had my plate scraped clean in no time). Boyfriend's Mushroom Hash looked like nothing special - you know, like I could make it myself. However, I've come to learn that the things that look the most simple tend to be the hardest to get right. Either way, it was quite tasty (if a touch heavy on the potatoes, which we both agreed were "filler").
(4)
Maile W.

The place is spacious and nicely decorated. The waitresses were very friendly and nice enough to accommodate all of us that went here.
(4)
Jordan M.

Food is great the service could be better.
(4)
Bianca F.

I had the buckwheat pancakes. They were pretty dry. The best part was the marionberry sauce that comes on the side. The fresh squeezed OJ was perfect. What bothered me was that my water cup was dirty, they didn't replace it until half way through my meal, and I had to ask for soy milk 3 times before I got it. Generally the service wasn't great and it wasn't that busy. The waitress even tried to deliver our food to the wrong table. I think my friends liked their food but I didn't hear huge raves.
(3)
Martha R.

This is the best panini sandwich that I have ever had. It was the mushroom panini - perfectly sauteed mushrooms, the spinach was perfectly done (not too mushy, not too crunchy), the cheese was melted and creamy, and the mustard was there with force (thanks you). The bread was also awesome - the super-grain bread that makes you feel like you're eating a meal when you've just eaten a slice of bread. Plus, the slice size was just right - not too thin, not too thick. The lentil soup was a little bland, but it was still quite good. The service was very average... otherwise I think that it would have received the full 5 stars. I really have never had a tastier sandwich. Did I say that already?
(4)
Tony O.

Had the two specials Easter morning... Andouille hash with an egg on top and the asparagus and goat cheddar omelette... both delicious. Menu was really appetizing in this cute corner space. Very funny waitress was charming without being overbearing, service was quick and friendly. Drinks were super strong, too! Highly recommended for brunch.
(4)
Aliya Y.

without a doubt, the most perfectly cooked french omelet I have EVER eaten! I had no idea how delicately fluffy on the outside and yet so smooth and custardy on the inside an omelet could be. Bijou cafe has seriously spoiled me for any future breakfast omelet meals. I had their sheep's feta omelet, with a side salad dressed in lemon vinagrette and a pear spice muffin, I also had some fresh squeezed orange juice to drink. Everything was AMAAAAAZING. only thing that could be improved is the cheese to egg ratio, they were very generous with the feta in the omelet and it was a bit overpowering, not to worry though, I just scraped some of it out and it was fine. seriously...one of the most perfect breakfasts to date, it's a week later and I am still not over it. I may have to visit Portland again just to eat here :P
(5)
Ryan O.

Meh.... Service was waaaay slow, and overpriced! Seriously! Sat at the bar even and still had to wait 20 minutes to order a mimosa.... Portland has much better to offer
(2)
James M.

I used to eat buckwheat waffles here in 1988 when I was four. It has been a haunt in my family in all the intervening years and one I am very proud to claim. So for 25 years my family has been eating breakfast here and though it has been sporadic, as we have moved, It has always been a special place. A place whose food and atmosphere is always great over many years is truly an institution.
(5)
Heidi J.

I ate here 4 times in my week in Portland. Partly because it was across the street from my friend's house but mostly because it was really good. The oatmeal pancakes were really really good. And the short stack is still huge. Their organic syrups are super amazing.
(4)
Joan D.

I'm reviewing again - after having done so LONG ago. Since they remodeled, and our favorite maitre D left.... it's not the same. That would be OK, but the food quality is falling. We ate there past Sunday and the bacon is now some thin flimsy cheap stuff. Plus we ordered the special Sourdough pancakes with boysenberry compote. Well my hubby got 20% Boysenberries and 80% blueberries in his compote. I got about a 50/50 mix of boysenberries and blueberries. We complained and told them they should change the sign (chalk board) if they are going to change the recipe! We told three people finally my husband said, "You shouldn't LIE." which garnered a reaction but no change. Come on - the tourists flock here - maybe they should go round the corner to Mother's if you can't keep up the quality.
(3)
Seth M.

got an apple cider. very good got an omelet. chedder goat cheese, bacon, and onions. the bacon was so meaty and flavorful. so good the potatoes were also very good. i didnt even need to put any ketchup or anything on them. they were good on their own. very good service
(4)
Brian M.

So the food was OK. I had an oyster omelet and it was heavy on the onions. The French Toast looked great. I deducted some stars because the waitress we had was kind of rude in many cases. I'm sure she thought she was funny....but she seemed put off when we didn't order right away and she made the comment "That's OK I'm here all day."
(3)
Rafael L.

I love this place for breakfast! It also happens that Voodoo Dough Nuts and Stumptown Coffee Roasters are on the same street within a couple of blocks of each other. We usually stay at the Embassy Suites across the street and even though breakfast is included, we always go here at least once before coming home. They have a pretty simple selection of items, but they do a great job of putting everything together. The homemade sausage is really good and so is the hash. They have very good coffee too. Service is always great, the place is really clean and the wait isn't too bad. The longest we've ever waited was probably 20 to 30 minutes tops on a weekend.
(5)
G H.

MEH! Over-hyped and over-reviewed. My BLAND meal wasn't worth the effort.
(2)
Jesse P.

Bijou knows how to make an omelet! The eggs were cooked to perfection. I went with the oyster omelet after a few yelp reviews had piqued my interest. Excellent but almost too rich for me. My gf got the veggie omelet which she raved about as well. We waited about 30 minutes to get in but it was Sunday morning so all things considered, not too bad. We just went over to Stumptown next door for coffee while we waited.
(4)
Erica L.

This is our Saturday morning breakfast. Every Saturday. We love the food (the mushroom hash is fantastic -- just the right kick), and the staff feel like family. How often do you go to a restaurant where everyone there knows your name? and worry about you when you miss a weekend? The muffins are especially wonderful, and we get a couple to go even when they don't come with our selected meals. My favourite are the banana nut, no wait, the blackberry, no -- the cornmeal, but then there are the peach almond . . . Actually, my favourite muffin has got to be whatever they have on offer that morning. Once we got them straight from the oven, still steaming, and I thought I had died and gone to heaven. The coffee is always hot and fresh, and plentiful . . . to say that the cups are bottomless is an understatement. If the tables are full and there is a line (which is the usual case) we just grab seats at the counter, and usually get to meet interesting people.
(5)
Claire T.

On our Oregon trip, we had three breakfast meals out. Bijou was the first, and while we were perfectly happy with our meal, the other two breakfasts were superior in quality. We had the french toast and the oyster omelette. While an oyster omelette sounds like a round-trip meal to me, I took a chance based on happy Yelpers. The omelette was well-cooked and the oysters were delicious. I MUCH prefer the oysters available in the Pacific Northwest to the Gulf of Mexico oysters usually available in our part of the country. These oysters were plump, not chewy, and without a hint of gulf funk. Bijou was a good breakfast with friendly service in a chill atmosphere. However, Portland has lots of great breakfast choices. I would probably choose another one next visit.
(3)
T Z.

I have always loved this place and am glad that it's still doing well. I'm not usually a big fan of omelettes at restaurants (most cannot get them right), but I am always pleased here. They are perfectly light and fluffy, with just the right amount of stuffing. Yesterday I had the special - chanterelles, bacon and smoked gouda. Lovely! I love their hashes too - especially the oyster one. Lunches are great as well, with my favorites the tuna sandwich and burger. Service is usually totally on, with many of the staff long-term pros. I'll always return here again and again.
(4)
Sam B.

AHHH THE OYSTER HASH! I dont know if they still have it, but if you ever, EVER, see it on the menu, YOU HAVE TO GET IT. Price is a bit steep for a casual lunch in Portland, but let me tell you, it beats all them food trucks! Grab yourself a nice meal. Go ahead, do yourself a favor and give this place the attention it deserves.
(4)
Sarah G.

This place had the tastiest bacon and yummiest breakfast potatoes I've ever had in a restaurant! Their house made ketchup was quite tasty too. I had the brioche French toast, which was very good, although slightly undercooked. I would eat here again.
(4)
Martha C.

Absolutely the best breakfast I have ever had right down to the organic ketchup! The veggie omelette was done to perfection and the Marion berry jam was to die for. The coffee was amazing and our server was quick witted and happy. We didn't have a wait but it was a weekday. I loved it and will definitely recommend. Enjoy!
(4)
O D.

I met a friend here for brunch a few days ago. Luckily for us the place wasn't too packed so we didn't have to wait long (plus I was late so I didn't have to way long). The menu has a great selection of breakfast items which is important to me as breakfast is my favorite meal of the day. We were warmly greeted and our order was promptly taken. I ordered the French Style Omelette which comes with a warm apple crisp muffin (delicious). Our food took a little longer than normal so our waitress brought over another warm muffin (VERY NICE), my friend ordered something with Tuna ( I don't really pay attention to that stuff). Our food finally came and it was amazing. Prepared well and our talb was well stocked with necessities. One of the waiters sent over another muffin for the road as he thought I was Venus Willams (yeah I know). So all in all I had an amazing experience. Bijou?! is it cause i'm a jou?
(4)
Liddy S.

What an amazing breakfast. The older lady who helped us was so sweet, friendly and informative. This cafe is amazing. I had the omelet with gruyerre, ham and apple and it was amazing. My husband had the roast beef hash and my mom had some omelet with oysters. All were unique and delicious dishes. We also had mimosas and they were very good, none of the Champagne flute bs that some places do. It was like a real mimosa with fresh squeezed oj. Though it doesn't matter that much to me, it's cool that they are all about organic, local, and free trade. It wouldn't stop me if they weren't. But the quality of service and amazing food were great.
(5)
Brian O.

Good little breakfast place...and while the food is top notch (however you want your eggs will arrive perfectly) the staff is really friendly and helpful. That's important when the rush arrives in the morning...there's space to wait for a table, but can get packed. When it's full (as it usually is) it can get quite loud. But the food will be good and the staff won't miss a beat!
(4)
Chris L.

The Oyster Omelette almost makes the five hour drive down to the city worthwhile. Alright, it does... an amazing blend of briny flavourful breaded mollusks coupled with smoky pieces of bacon in fluffy moist egg make this one of the best omelettes I've ever had. Brioche French Toast was also a highlight with yummy maple syrup. At another table I couldn't help but notice a svelte young lass with her much older companion having not one, but two bottles of beer for brunch (this was around 11am) on this Sunday morning. I guess they really enjoy the beer in this town - will have to try some next time, but a little later in the day...
(4)
Patricia P.

As fellow Yelpers say, the place is packed. Food and service was pretty good. Not sure that I would try this again...but maybe I just ordered the wrong thing. I would have like more sandwich with my mustard...but then again, I'm really not that keen on the stuff. So it was probably my mistake to order what I did.
(3)
Rick W.

I should have ordered the oyster hash. My partner did and gave me a bite, then two more upon request. To thank him for his generosity I picked up the tab. On our list of places to return.
(4)
Joseph M.

The oyster hash was ridiculously good. Omelet was delicious too. I'd give it 5 but the Bloody Mary was very mediocre.
(4)
Bob M.

Okay so I had some friends in from Chicago staying at Hotel Fifty and so I was like-- lets take em to Mother's for breakfast. Closed. The concierge chimed in and said that Bijou Cafe was really good if not better than Mothers. So we get there--cool walk from Fifty for visitors-- and we were seated quickly as it seemed the main breakfast crowd had already passed. They were out of most of the stuff on the menu. My friend got the fabled roast beef hash-- very sub par-- the meat was grey and tough and not tasty. The chantrelle and swiss omelette that his wife and I got were decent. All in all, I don't think I would take anyone back to this place, but maybe we just missed on this one.
(3)
Jennifer T.

I couldn't decide whether or not to add to the multitude of reviews herein, but after debating it I decided it's worth a few words. They've got service down pat. Not only were we seated immediately since we got there early enough to get right in, but our coffee came right away and the waiter introduced us to the specials, something often forgotten. My husband's omelet, with goat cheese and green onions, was SUPERB. Delicate egg 'shell' with delightful creaminess inside; flavors melding perfectly. This omelet is what I'm getting next time. Mine, unfortunately and the reason for only four stars, was filled with less than pristine oysters. Having just spent two years on Willapa Bay, I guess I'm spoiled, but these were just good, not great. The coffee kept flowing, the pancake hubby ordered on the side, oatmeal, was out of this world, and again something I will order next time. I'm all for reviewing a place twice, so we'll be back and make sure I haven't removed a star for spurious reasons. Wonderful atmosphere, open and clean lines. The whole place shines. I bet if you performed a white glove test on the mouldings you would come away clean. Windows clean! Plus, it's right down the street from VooDoo Donuts, and on Saturdays the Portland Market. We enjoyed both on our first visit to Bijou. Thanks guys - good mojo to you!
(4)
Tom M.

Since I know a couple of people who work at the Bijou, I really wanted to love it. But it was just okay... for me. My parents and girlfriend all really liked it. Some exuberant proclamations were even made from two in our party, such as, "Perhaps the best omelette I've ever had!" (my Dad) I didn't have any such feelings. I suppose I ordered the wrong thing: just regular ol' pancakes. They were okay, not bad. But part of me feels like such an option is so simple there's no excuse--at a popular, highly revered breakfast spot--for not making them really well. Service was friendly. Table space was uncomfortably limited. Syrup bottle was all sticky and gross on the handle. Sound was cacophonous on a busy Sunday morning, making conversation slightly strained. I will try it again. Probably not on a weekend. I will definitely order something different. Maybe an omelette.
(3)
Gagan T.

Cozy breakfast place. Buckwheat pancakes with the daily special blackberry compote were amazing! Would come back to try so many of the other tempting choices.
(4)
Will L.

I woke up spinning. Who the hell was the smart-ass who put my bed on a rollercoaster? Since when does the sun lower itself instead of rise? And how did the hotel get the desk and chairs to hang off the walls like that? Why is it that instead of standing up like a normal human being I'm falling sideways and having to grip the wall. Note to self: no more drinking heavily. Or at least drinking heavily without eating. And then taking cough medicine on top of it. OK, that's it. I'm seriously going to kill the chucklehead who's pounding on the drums so rhythmically in my room. Was that an added bonus with the hotel? Oh... no, that's my watch ticking off seconds. Warrior needs food... badly! And coffee. Give me coffee or give me death. Or... if I'm already dead, please just pour some coffee on my corpse, maybe it will sink in and give my pour tortured spirit some respite. I don't know how I managed to shower without falling down and braining myself. I did drop my deodorant on my toe. Frickin hurt. Which took my mind off the pounding in the rest of my body for about 3 seconds. I wandered down to Mother's Bistro. Looked inside at the humongous crowd. Listened to the cacophony of dishes and dining. No thanks, I'd rather listen to thrash metal. I checked mobile.Yelp.com on my phone. Punched in 'Breakfast' in Portland, OR. Limited to downtown. Got the Bijou... Brett O.'s review. Good review to read. I headed over, walked in, saw that there was no waiting list for the counter, and sat my sorry, aching, pounding, caffeine-less body down. The wait staff were awesome. Maybe it was obvious I needed nourishment, I mean I didn't need a glowing neon sign over my head, I think the red in my eyes and my general sickly skin pallor did that for me. I got coffee and OJ right up. Pulp in my OJ, which I usually hate but this was some fresh squeezed stuff, like they had one of those machines out back that grinds the orange down into delicious juicy-ness and puts it in a cup. Oh man. I started feeling better immediately. And the coffee. Ooooh the coffee. Yeah, it probably tasted especially good considering my condition, but it tasted ESPECIALLY good. I don't know why. There was a rich flavor to it that I don't normally notice. I mentioned this, and one of the waiters made sure to come fill me up from the fresh brewed pot as soon as it was ready. Thanks man, holy crap! I started feeling human again. I couldn't decide between a mushroom/cheese hash and a mushroom/cheese omellete. My waitress let me know that the hash has a lot of garlic in it. Which is usually fine, except... warning bells went off in my head (which still hurt, but not as much). DANGER WILL L. She said, and I quote: "I like our omelets better because they're... well... perfect." Ooooh. A challenge! Well, she was right. I've never seen an omelet look so pretty. I mean... perfect shape, perfect cheese consistency, perfect ratio of mushrooms to cheese to eggs. I didn't put salt/pepper/anything on it. I ate it as was. It was REALLY FRICKEN GOOD. They had marionberry jam for my toast. In the words of Dr. Dre: "Hell yeah!" I ate some of the potato side stuff, typical filler, nothing special there. Tabasco always makes everything like that tasty. As I walked out into the fresh air, I realized I wasn't in pain anymore. I was actually full and happy. Human again. Just what a hang-over breakfast is supposed to do.
(5)
Adriane P.

I've eaten here twice and I cannot for the life of me figure out what the big deal is about. Average food. Very average and not worth the wait. Granted, I ordered "basics", but their classics should be done just as well as the fancy plates I see others mentioning in their reviews, shouldn't they? A strange mystery arose too. It wasn't very busy when my food came out barely luke warm and internally dry, although it didn't take long from the order being placed to arrive at my table. The kitchen not being closed off- maybe a hot plate issue? Service was great in a motherly, "fix your shirt" kind-of way. "Oh you don't need that third cup of coffee, it's bad for you" kind-of way. The only thing I liked was the 1930's era, Hoosier cupboard simplicity of the decor, but the acoustics get a little maddening in the cavernous space when the crowds start gathering.
(2)
Khalid N.

Friendliest staff ever. They all seemed genuinely happy to be there and have us. Got the mushroom omelet. Very savory. The bacon was awesome, but very pricey ($6 for a side of 3 bacon slices - granted they were big, thick slices). The coffee was very good too and refills were plentiful. Loved the Marion-berry jam too.
(4)
Frank E.

My first rule for waiting 45 minutes to get seated for breakfast in any restaurant: It ain't worth it. Bijou is no exception. OK, we didn't wait 45 minutes to get seated, we waited maybe ten before lucking out and getting seated at one of the few, coveted counter seats. (Recommendation: be aggressive about getting one of these counter seats!) Ten more minutes before ordering. Then we waited, and waited, and waited for 45 minutes for our order to arrive. Maybe preparing a very nice, light wild mushroom and cheddar omelette with some perfectly cooked potatoes takes time? Or perhaps they were trying to get that oatmeal pancake just right? (They did.) It could be they were struggling with the buckwheat pancake before sending it out. (They missed--it was a little dry and just not quite right. But the waitress did allow me to order one pancake of each type.) Was it that beautifully done over easy egg? (I don't think so.) Pancakes and an omelette with an over easy egg. Food arrives 45 minutes after ordering. $22.50 with two cups of drip. No apologies. It ain't worth the wait. So if you dare go on a weekend be sure to bring a good book, a decent newspaper, a good conversation partner and a whole lot of patience before you enjoy your nicely prepared eggs, pancakes or hash. But I have to believe that there are equally satisfying breakfasts to be had in Portland, without the drama of Bijou, a place that serves good breakfast food, knows it, and doesn't apologize when things aren't clicking as well as any customer could reasonably expect. It ain't worth the wait.
(3)
Chris E.

With most breakfast places in Portland, be prepared for a wait on the weekends. Not necessarily a negative but something to be aware of. Good downtown location. Nice atmosphere and decor. Busy but staff worked hard. Brad was a great server. Food was good. Portions of reasonable size and healthy. Great fresh squeezed OJ. A little on the pricey side but that's also average for a good Portland breakfast. Overall an "A" experience and we'd go back again
(3)
J S.

This place is point blank my favorite breakfast place in Portland. Even the eggs are better than anywhere else. Anything on the menu is delicious and I think it is because of fresh their ingredients are. This place has been around and doing it right for a long long time. I particularly like one of the omelets which has a name like "Farmer's Omelet" or something like that. Their salads are also good, which you can get instead of potatoes. Love to have the scrambled eggs with salad and a baguette. You can get the omelets with baguette too. My mom ordered the omelet with fried oysters once which was also really good if you like oysters. The decorating is cute with nice light from the huge windows along three of the walls. Some of the servers have been there for years and are really passionate about the place which is always a good sign.
(4)
Emily B.

Portland is full of great breakfast places with fresh, fun ingredients. Places like the new Bar Carlo on SE Foster and Zell's on SE Morrison. Bijou Cafe is about $5 more per person than those restaurants (meal and coffee tab for two came to $35 with tip!) and the food doesn't even begin to compare. My oyster omelet was so-so, the coffee was weak and cheap-tasting (get some Stumptown!), and my husband's roast beef hash was overcooked and tough. Also, the roasted potatoes are far tastier at other places I've been. The only thing Bijou has going for me is location... Basically, when you're downtown and you want something more than a bagel and coffee for breakfast, you're kind of in trouble.
(2)
LeAndra M.

Pretty tasty, but not sure if it's worth the wait on a Saturday morning. The omelets are cooked the "french" way (aka, half raw). I hate my eggs runny, but the husband loved it. Servers aren't very friendly, but I am not sure I'd be either if I had to deal with hundreds of people early on a Saturday morning. The fresh grapefruit juice was however, outstanding!! Oh, and loved the light, airy ambiance!!
(4)
erica p.

Coffee: perfect strongly brewed without turning bitter. Waitress: ultra patient as my friend and I kept chatting rather than ordering. Food: very well done, not too much, not too little. Made our stomachs happy. Atmosphere: Adorable, light, bright, a happy place to start the day. The wait: got right in and it seemed like they had the perfect flow throughout the time we were there. This might be my new favorite breakfast spot.
(5)
Yasmien H.

So yum, I had the Brioche French toast and a hot chocolate. Both delicious and the marionberry jam was so good too.
(4)
VALYNN L.

I love the Bijou Cafe because they don't serve "POP" and the food is DELICIOUS.
(5)
Ethan B.

Wow! Girlfriend drug me here for breakfast and I was expecting the worst. Shockingly delightful it turns out! Delicious fluffy feta omelet and buttermilk pancakes just the right texture. a little pricey.
(4)
Sheila Y.

So after dating a SF'can I heard all about the infamous oyster omelet. My first foray into this local delicacy was in Seattle at 13 Coins (see review below) and almost lost my cookies. Needless to say I was commited to the cause and when I was last in Portland with my family we stopped into Bijou Cafe for Sunday Brunch. I immediately noted the inclusion of this unique item on the menu and went ahead and crossed my fingers for round two. And....It was AWESOME....no cold oysters, no strange aftertaste...just fresh with a touch of ocean goodness. The potatoes and toast were tasty too, as well as the bottomless cup of coffee. Service is decent, but hey...its kind of diner-esque so don't expect too much. Definitely top five brunches in PDX in my books!
(4)
Melinda D.

after many years of enjoying breakfast at Bijou (on weekdays) I had a bad experience on a recent Saturday am. It took forever to get waited on, after asking someone to send the server over, she arrived confrontational "I hear you are upset". No apology for the poor service. My omlette arrived cold and the toast was even worse, cold and hard as a brick. The restraurant's kitchen nor its servers seemed to be able to handle a busy Saturday. No one seemed to care whether you enjoyed your breakfast or not. Next time I will head down the street to Mother's.
(2)
Luciasur S.

Service was superb. Oatmeal - I can make it a lot better. French toast didn't look anything above a C. Will try again for an omelette.
(3)
Tom S.

Went there on a Monday for breakfast. Had an omelet (can't remember which one it was) and the wife had the French toast. We shared them both. Both were very good. The French toast smelled awesome. Omelet was light and cooked nicely. Service was efficient, very much all business. But well done. Would recommend breakfast here to anyone and would certainly come back.
(4)
Satya v.

excellent place to enjoy breakfast
(4)
Frank D.

Very disappointing. Bland food and below average service. Expected more as multiple people recommended. Will not be going back when there are so many other restaurants to explore in Portland.
(1)
Kari G.

Like most brunch places on a Sunday morning, there was a long line to get a table so when there were open spots at the breakfast bar area, we jumped at the chance! Bijou has lovely tall windows lining the front of the restaurant which made for an excellent morning of lingering over breakfast while people watching. The food was delicious. I got the chicken and waffles special of the day, my mom got an omelette and we shared the special fruit compote. I picture a "compote" as being a little syrupy but it ended up being a big bowl of blackberries topped with whipped cream. Either way, it was delicious! The waffles were light and fluffy and the chicken had a very yummy breading on it. One of the best parts of Bijou was its great location. Its right next to Stumptown Coffee, just down from VooDoo Donuts, across the street from the Keep Portland Weird sign, and just a few blocks from the waterfront Saturday Market. (Even better, it was a block away from our hotel!) Bijou made a great stop in a packed morning!
(4)
T H.

Checked this place out a week ago. In reading reviews I saw tips to show up early. We arrived 10 minutes early and were the 2nd group in line. Quickly a line formed and we heard from those around us that they were locals. I knew then we were in for a treat. If locals are willing to show up early and wait in line the food must be worth it. Staff was nice, busy with all the people but the food was great. If you need to keep warm while you wait, send a friend next door to stump town for some coffee.
(4)
Kristin S.

We had breakfast here in our last day in Portland, and just like everything we had, it was also delicious. This place focused on the quality of the food. I had a zucchini inlet with goat cheese. It was so light and delicious. I was full after I left since it came with potatoes and bread. The coffee was also really good. Highly recommend!
(5)
Gazelle P.

Great breakfast. Interesting Hash with roasted cauliflower, potatoes, olives, red bell peppers, feta and two eggs. Can't believe I ate the whole thing!! Great service, too!
(5)
Scott P.

This was our first visit. Food was good, but not exceptional. Ours came out after a few other guest's that arrived well after us and the orders were not correct. When we we asked about the timing of our orders the server said it was typical Portland slow food. Maybe just a bad day, but still disappointing.
(3)
Linda C.

Stopped off here for lunch before heading to the Saturday Market. Not my favorite part of town but this place is a diamond in the rough. Nice, spacious seating area with additional counter seating. We ordered: - Pumpkin seed molÃ© quesadilla with a side of sauteed potatoes (tasty) - Tomato, basil and feta omelette with green salad and baguette (absolutely delicious!!) Fresh ingredients and good-sized portions. Friendly, attentive service. Loved the jasmine green tea (no tea bags served here) and hubby enjoyed a beer (limited selection but better than nothing). We thoroughly enjoyed our lunch here and would come back again. Recommended!
(4)
Nina B.

Really wanted to see what the fuss was about, but unfriendly staff stopped us cold with "no seating available" as we stared at an empty table with chairs. Too bad
(2)
Eddie H.

This place cooks very average food at best. Came here today on a Sunday because it was one of the few open places. It's like the cooks are forbidden from using any seasoning. The potatoes were tasteless, the farmers omelet was tasteless, the grilled onion was tasteless AND the toast was over cooked. I'm full, but still hungry. Know what I mean?
(2)
Shawn P.

Food was decent, on my hash I had one cooked and one very clearly raw egg. The hash was good and I was starving so I ate around it and brought it to the servers attention. He told me it was "French style" and it was common there. So if French style means improperly cooked and that's your thing check out the hash. The pancakes and other items were good and teas, coffee helped save this breakfast but not impressed.
(3)
Momo B.

EXCEPTIONAL TASTING COFFEE FOLLOWING LUNCH Ordered their Roasted Chicken Cheddar Cheese Enchilada and Oyster Hash at the counter which found it's way into our tummies quicker than those waiting for a table.
(4)
Kathy C.

Great food. Eggs were perfect. The sausage was amazing. You can tell everything is homemade. The only hiccup was they had a hard time substituting for gluten free.
(4)
Tarah B.

Went on a Sunday morning and only had to wait about 20 minutes. The food was great! Got the farmers omelette and it was delicious!! The service was great. Food was a little pricey but the food was great! Definitely recommend
(4)
Sheila E.

While working with a business associate across the street at the Embassy Suites, we needed to grab a quick lunch and decided to try Bijou Cafe. Even though it was noon (on a Weds.) we were able to get a table right away, and were seated at a table next to a window (which was nice, because it was a beautiful sunny day). I ordered the mushroom and cheddar omelette, side salad and dry wheat toast and I have to say, for a simple omelette, it was delicious! The server told me that this particular omelette was normally cooked on the lighter side (meaning is would be a little a runny), and I told her to ask the chef to cook the omelette a little longer than he normally would, so it would be more solid. (*I thought it was nice that she told me before hand, how they normally cook the omelette, in case I wanted it firmer). The salad was perfect - just greens and light dressing and the toast was just right (not sure what kind of bread they use). Our service was also outstanding. We were greeted as we walked in, and the server who waited on us was friendly, helpful, and refilled our water glasses (as well as iced tea) before we needed to ask. It also didn't take long to get our food, which was great, since we didn't want to be gone long. I will definitely be back for brunch or lunch in the future (and probably order the same thing, because I liked it so much). If you are looking for a good place for breakfast (brunch) or lunch and are near the corner of 3rd and Pine, drop in - totally worth it.
(4)
Lina W.

My husband and I shared the fried oyster has and buttermilk pancakes for brunch two days ago. The oyster hash is to die for if you love oysters because the ingredients in this dish were very fresh and well prepared. The seasoning on the hash was just right and flavorful. I wish I could have ordered another one of this dish before I left Portland. Buttermilk pancakes here were great because I can really taste the creaminess of cakes. Maple syrup was totally legit and not too sweet like Aunt Jemima's. The house made raspberry-strawberry compote that was not too sweet and not too tart paired very well with the buttermilk pancakes. Coffee was dark, silky, and had deep chocolate flavor -- loved it. Orange juice and grapefruit juice were fresh squeezed and had a lot of pulp. We loved our server, "Eve the Terrible." She was attentive and funny. She gave us underground tips on eats and scene around Portland.
(4)
Bill K.

I used to really like this place, but they have lost their way. On a recent visit I had the special of chicken and corn cakes, and it took freakin' forever for the order to come out. Now, if the place was busy that would be one thing, but the joint was totally empty. What could have possibly taken so long? The chicken was just a fried leg...burnt on the outside and bloody on the inside and the pancakes were just ordinary. A totally bland, un-filling brunch for $14 (plus another 9 for a so-so mimosa). And some snarky attitude to boot. Oh well.
(1)
P M.

We are from California and found were this place on Yelp. It's popular for a reason. The breakfast recipes are unique and the portions are just the right size. My omelet had goat cheese and local bacon - what a delight! My salad had a dressing that was obviously made in house. My only two complaints are the long wait and the Bloody Mary recipe that is way too salty and had too much of everything. Couldn't finish it.
(5)
Stephanie R.

Food quality was very good. Loved the sausage hash special and the cinnamon French toast! Buttermilk pancakes were ok. Fresh squeezed orange and grapefruit juice and homemade Marion berry jam were delish! Knocking off a star since the service was just ok.
(4)
Liz M.

This was our first stop on our trip to Portland. Somehow or another we showed up at the right time and beat the rush though it didn't seem like it...the waitresses seemed to be in a rush all the time. Had the Oyster Hash which was DE-FREAKING-LICIOUS. I could have that stuff every morning forever! The serving size was wonderful - just enough to make me full, but not stuffed. Wish there was a place like this around my parts :(
(4)
Paul W.

Best breakfast I've had yet in Portland! The Oyster Omelette is the dish to get, but come early or call first to make sure it's not already sold out. If you're like me and don't dig eggs off a greasy grill, you'll love their fluffy French-style prep. Most of the morning eateries I've tried in Ptown seem to be serving up super starchy hangover helper dishes, but not this place. They serve up lean, clean, gourmet cuisine as good as I ever had in Paris, but with a Ptown flair. Can't recommend this place highly enough. And oh yeah, they do Jazz at night, of course!
(5)
Jill H.

Too busy at another restaurant and we overheard someone mention the Bijou. We ran over to this place and could....not...have been happier. We sat at the counter and we had menus in hand before even sitting down. Drinks were yummy and hot. By the time the food arrived we already knew we were going to love the place. The lady behind the counter was a Seahawks fan, so we knew we'd get along just fine...and she was awesome to chat with. Food was super hot and fast. The omelettes were great. The potatoes were good too....Needed a little salt but when don't they? I was happy, full and out of there in 30 minutes. Will come back next time I'm in town.
(5)
Golden B.

Great breakfast cafe with a toned down hipster crowd. The food was four stars and I was very impressed with my service. If you want hearty, healthy, flavorful breakfast options this place is fantastic. And then, after breakfast you can take a walk on the waterfront!
(4)
Heather H.

Visited here around 11:45 on a Monday morning. It was decently busy, as any brunch place should be in Portland at that time. I had the oyster hash, it was good, unique and delicious. I also very much enjoyed the fresh squeezed grapefruit juice and a nice cup of English breakfast tea. While the food was enjoyable, the service most certainly was not. We had an older grey haired server who didn't even greet us until 10 minutes after we were seated, and even then it was from a distance and she couldn't be bothered to make eye contact. She seemed overly inconvenienced by her four tables, never checked in on us, and was just not personable at all. I will probably give it another try, just hopefully I get a different server.
(3)
Jackie B.

We hit up Bijou Cafe for breakfast on our last day in Portland, primarily because it was close by and Mother's was closed. I have to say I'm not a huge breakfast person. Don't get me wrong - I love breakfast, but I'm much more likely to cook this meal at home as opposed to eating it at a restaurant. On the recommendations of the waiter, I ordered it the Mushroom and Egg omelet with the salad. Both were good. The eggs were VERY cheesy, but when I doused them in hot sauce it cut a bit of the richness and made it tolerable. My boyfriend ordered the oyster scramble/hash dish. He said it was OK (I just tried a bite - not a huge onion fan and there were LOADS of onion in his dish), but he wasn't very enthusiastic. Maybe our tastebuds were worn out from a long weekend of nonstop eating. Our friends both ordered dishes with meat and seemed very happy with the meal. Perhaps this is a good pick if you eat meat, but if you are vegetarian, perhaps pick a different restaurant.
(3)
Kip L.

Never miss the opportunity while in Portland to enjoy breakfast at the Bijou. The brioche French Toast satisfy's all the taste buds. If you do oysters do their hash. Service is always comfortable with a smile no matter how many are waiting in line. Do it and be happy!
(5)
Jennifer R.

Ate here with family prior to an all-day trip at Powell's. My aunt had the fried oyster hash and was not a fan (she is sensitive to spicy food and disliked the spiciness in the oyster breading), so my sister wound up devouring it (she loves spicy food). My cousin had the two eggs and bacon and seemed happy with it. I had the mushroom and bravo cheddar omelet and wasn't terribly enthused; I prefer my mushrooms very, very browned and caramelized and these were steamed, rather than anything else. It tasted very nice, just wasn't what I was imagining. My mother had the winning dish, the cowboy steak with borlotti beans, chimichurri, and an egg over easy; the dish comes with chorizo, but the kitchen kindly removed it at our request. The steak was rather more rare than I like (but perfectly to Mom's taste), the beans were done well, and the chimichurri was delicious. The lattes we ordered were also very well done, with excellently foamed milk. If we could, we'd go back before we leave Portland this Sunday.
(4)
P B.

Our son told us about this place and it's now one of our favorites. The wait staff is attentive and friendly. Moderate prices, but really different tasty breakfast dishes and great coffee! Sunday AM is the best prior to 10:00 to avoid the crowd.
(5)
Lena K.

Bijou is my go to easy brunch spot with delicious mimosas. They have orange, grapefruit and apple cider. Try the cider mimosa-you won't regret it. I've been here several times and I've realized it's their mimosas and fresh squeezed juices that keep me coming back. The food is good, too, but it's really their drinks, space and location that make me frequent this place. I like their omelettes and French toast. My husband likes their chorizo hash. The potatoes that come with my omelette are great and the ketchup they serve is not Heinz and you can tell. Their house made jam is delicious...It's the little things they do really well.
(4)
Julia W.

From the grilled tofu bahn mi to the home made biscuits and gravy with ham that rated like they smoked their own pig, this place has totally blown my mind and ruined most other breakfast places, and shown me what real food is supposed to taste like. How can I go back to smuckers from a plastic cube when the sticky sweet fresh taste of their home made blackberry preserve slathered all over a piece of toast or just on my fork sends me paroxysms of happiness? How can I eat another bite of smushy greasy chorizo and eggs when I can have their home made firm juicy bites of delight? I think I'll have to move here, or take you with me!
(5)
Cait S.

Long wait, decent food. My coworkers love this place, but it's not worth the wait! It's been there forever, and I think people are going off of what it used to be. There are better breakfast places in Portland.
(3)
William F.

My first visit was very disappointing. The service was slow and the food was not good. I ordered an omelet for brunch. Half of the potatoes were under cooked (nearly raw) and they were poorly seasoned. The eggs were a very odd consistency. My partner ordered a Cobb salad and only ate a few bites because it didn't seem fresh. I ate half of my meal, but I only did so to be polite. It was not enjoyable. I passed the restaurant several times over the weekend and there always seemed to be a crowd, so perhaps I just had a rare, bad experience.
(1)
P J.

Went there for breakfast. Sunday morning; yes, it was busy but not nuts. Dining alone so took a spot at the counter. Took 10 min to be acknowledged. When the waitress finally came by, no "Hi how are you" or "Be right there.." Was greeted with a warm "Im tied up right now." Made it easy for her and left. Next time maybe try offering a coffee or water, then the wait won't seem like an issue. Place obviously thinks it can get by on cute and quirky Portland vibe. Good luck with that.
(1)
Kate H.

Mediocre for Portland. Decor feels like a before picture on restaurant impossible - this place has no personality. My breakfast was greasy. Can definitely do better in the neighborhood for same or less money.
(3)
Sumomo O.

5 stars for the service: this was probably the most friendly service I've had in any restaurant in any city. The wait staff chatted with me like we were old friends. I had the oyster hash. The 8 fresh, plump, cornmeal-coated oysters were perfectly seasoned and cooked. The potatoes were under-salted and the over-easy egg was over-hard. I'd still come back just to eat those oysters and for the friendly staff.
(4)
Tiffany B.

Breakfast in Portland is tough, the competition is high, we have many many great breakfast spots, but Bijou does it right! The wait will be 30+ minutes as with many bfast joints around town, and I will say it is worth it! I would wait an hour if need be to eat here again! Omelettes are my favorite bfast dish. My sweetie makes a mean french omelette (yes I am spoiled) ...but when we ate here, I had to say Bijou took his #1 spot! The eggs are so fluffy and the ingredients taste very fresh. No greasy breakfast here! And the potatoes taste great too, not overly salted like most are. And for your side... get the baguette...oh my crispy outer crust! Cancel your Sat morning plans and go to Bijou for breakfast, you won't regret it!!
(5)
Dusty B.

This is my new favorite Portland hotel. Cool people work here, the rooms are designed amazingly, the service is great, the hotel bar is great and the location is perfect. I would highly recommend it to family, friends and business associates.
(5)
Dan W.

This place has a very mom and pop feel to it which is cool. The service is fast and super friendly. I had the house-made chorizo, sauteed potatoes, roasted red peppers & two eggs over easy. There was a gracious amount of chorizo which was good.
(4)
Anna O.

Bloody awful. I was in Portland for a conference so often ending up by myself for meals. Yelp recommended highly so I showed up for Saturday brunch expecting that there might be a wait. They were moderately busy with a few customers waiting for tables. No host in sight. Then someone with a dirty towel showed up and made a grumpy noise and scratched out some name on the list. No greeting. No indication that this was in fact a host. He then ran off, and returned 5 minutes later only to call out a name and again completely ignore the new customers waiting to put their names down. By this time it was not just me. I asked if I could add my name and he made me repeat literally three times that I was in fact alone. Thank you for underscoring the inconvenience of serving one customer at a time. He asked in a very irritated voice whether I wanted to sit at the counter. Well sure that is what I do when I dine by myself in a very busy place so I said sure. He threw oiled menu on the table and put some silverware there too. So no place to put my pretty and clean purse: the stool has no back and the floor is littered with breadcrumbs and egg scramble. You know what I am not normally so picky. I have only modest concerns for cleanliness. But this was disgusting. Next to me a clearly homeless person with a thousand bags and 50 medication bottles which she was scattering every which way. Cool. Guess the place is democratic but have the decency to seat her somewhere more comfortable and help her out when she is obviously having a hard time. It was so godawful at this moment that despite what appeared to be beautiful and delicious food walking past my very hungry stomach, I had to walk out of there. Had a quiche at Maurice up on Oak street which though overpriced was delicious and came with decent coffee. Also it was f...ing clean. And the waiters did not act like I was a bother by existing even when it got busy. Never again. I really hope no other person makes the mistake of walking in here.
(1)
Rebecca M.

Very busy on a Saturday Brunch, but we were seated within about twenty minutes. The food was delicious. We had the oyster hash with eggs and the omelet with goat cheddar, green onions, and plenty of thick cut bacon.
(5)
Joanne Y.

Unfortunately the food wasn't very good. Dry, somewhat acidic tasting fried chicken, cornmeal pancakes just kind of blah (and not very cornmealy). Freshly squeezed OJ was nice. Good and friendly service.
(2)
Milena C.

Had the chanterelle and gruyere omelette which was a special. The omelette was great, but my cohort and I agree the potatoes were lackluster. The pressed cider was good and I wanted another glass, but our server didn't bother asking before she swiped my glass off the table. SC had the oyster omelette, but wasn't a fan of the fried oysters. The oysters are deep fried, but retain no crispiness and come off as mushy instead. Plus they do not carry Coke, which was a big minus to SC. Food was good, but service was questionable. She damn near scoffed when we asked about Coke. Our food took upwards of 20 minutes with minimal other patrons. Again, my cider was taken without a question. Now that I think about it, communication between us and the server was minimal at best. Maybe I'm just not hip enough for PDX.
(3)
Susan B.

As if the French omelette with bacon, green onion and smoked Gouda or the brioche French toast weren't lipsmackingly satisfying enough, we chalked up the bliss we felt from our Present's Day breakfast at Bijou Cafe to the one and only waitperson, Eve. She was authentic and welcoming and took our culinary fun to a whole new level. Eve rocks and so does Cafe Bijou!
(5)
Susan C.

French toast was amazing with REAL maple syrup & fresh marion berry syrup casual nice atmosphere located on the corner of S.W. 3rd & S.W. Pine with lots of windows
(5)
Lindsay F.

Loved this place! Very cute and Portland with some excellent food. We got the sausage hash, lattes, French toast, and a biscuit. All were delicious. Wait on a Saturday morning at 10:30 was about 15 mins. Not bad at all!
(4)
Jaben C.

I went in here on a whim when I found myself hungry for breakfast in downtown. I didn't really have a clue where to try out... I don't really eat breakfast out that often so I always get excited, but so many places are a real let down. I was with my daughter and we got seated promptly and got our initial beverages pretty much instantly it seemed. Their menu was nice in that it was long enough to be interesting, but not so long that I felt I was reading a chef's dissertation or anything intimidating like that... W each tried an omelet and even though I got the incorrect bread the meal was good, I changed what I wanted after ordering and that got missed, but they offered a free one to go... I declined. I will definitely come back when in downtown for breakfast...
(4)
Brittanie M.

It was nice to walk in and get seated right away on a Sunday brunch prime time! No wait, worked for me! The menu was fair. Even as a vegetarian there were still several options available that I had a tough time deciding what to order. I ended up with the mushroom omelet, served with roasted potatoes and a lemon poppyseed muffin. I feel like a lot of breakfast places don't actually muffins, let alone delicious ones, and served automatically with your meal. Score! Though the rest of the food was good, it was nothing to write home about. Not that I write home anyway.
(3)
Gemma H.

I've been to Bijou a handful of times before this morning and always enjoyed brunch. I typically ordered some kind of tofu/potato hash that ran ~$10 and was fully satisfied. Today, however, I was disappointed. Bijou changed their menu and now offers only one vegan option -- a fried tofu and parsley dish (seemed pretty minimal to me). I noticed they had a special consisting of yams, white beans, a cream sauce and 2 eggs, so I asked the waiter if I could replace the eggs with tofu, and hold the cream sauce. He happily obliged and said the tofu would be a side dish (although at first brought me the dish with eggs included). No matter. What I was not happy about was the bill! The special ran $12.50 and with the tofu on the side, my whole dish was $16.50. Sorry, but that was NOT worth it. I'm saving you the eggs and cream, and it's four dollars more than listed? Bijou, your food is delicious, but please be more substitute friendly!
(3)
Crystal R.

We came on a Sunday morning looking for something local. It had a wait but nothing major, but as we were leaving the wait was pretty long. I got the French Toast which wasn't that great. One piece was super gooey in the middle and like cake batter. My boyfriend got the biscuits and gravy which was pretty tasty. The coffee was great, but the waitress had an attitude and was super transactional and wouldn't ever fill my coffee all the way. She'd give me half a cup and run off without ever talking to us. Never asked us how our food was and was very transactional. The hostess was Nice though.
(2)
Amie N.

First time in Portland, found and yelp and came in for breakfast. Cute space, lots of light, high ceilings, and friendly staff. If you don't want a wait, you are free to sit at the counter to eat. I got the redwood hill omelette, which was beautiful and tasted so fresh, and green tea. Tea was yummy, and it should be noted this is a tea bag free zone. I would definitely recommend stopping here.
(5)
Sarah L.

Don't order the quesadilla, it comes on three corn tortillas with overly cumined salsa and bland mole for $9. It's the kind of meal you make at home when you're feeling too lazy to cook, and even at home you feel disappointed. My dining partner got the bacon wrapped egg on a biscuit with chimichurri, visually appealing but not amazing according to him, the egg was hard poached and chimichurri flavorless. The blueberry muffin I heard was a life changer, and the pancakes looked good too. Maybe stick to those. Service is slow so prepare accordingly.
(2)
Saint C.

This is the worst place I ever ate at. The food was cooked bad and the place stink like a sewer. Plus the over charged me for my bill. Avoid this place unless you want to waste your time.
(1)
Peter D.

I ordered the chorizo, eggs and potatoes for $14. Every single bite of the chorizo was gristle, which promptly went back on my plate. (Will they get the hint?) And the potatoes were just sautÃ©ed, not much else. There are much better restaurants here in Portland to go for brunch, and for a lot less! Thanks Bijou for grossing me out as well as everyone else. Blaaaach!
(1)
Gabrielle M.

It was a Sunday around brunch time, this place was very busy, we just so happened to be able to sit up at the bar! Very nice bartender, he whipped me up a fantastic blood orange, vodka concoction! I ordered the beef hash with 2 eggs, it was great! Definitely be back next time I'm in Portland!
(5)
Brandon L.

The food has always been good at the Bijou. We have had good experiences with service. I brought my fiancÃ© and our family here this morning for her 25th birthday. We had a party of 7, waited for a table for an amount of time that was not unusual. We had some older people in our party and a diabetic child. My fiancÃ© checked with the hostess, Melany, about why so many parties were able to jump ahead of us on the waiting list. My fiancÃ© was educated on their system of determining seating order. My fiancÃ© stepped inside to use the restroom while we continued to wait and on the way back she overheard the hostess, Melany, bad-mouthing my fiancÃ© by name to a co-worker!! I know that shady things go on in restaurants but this is something I would expect to see at McDonalds. At an upscale cafe employees need to always be courteous and professional whether or not they think someone is watching/listening. Understandably restaurants are high pressure environments but if an employee cannot keep their wits about them or behave with decency they need to remove themselves from the job. The birthday girl had to walk herself around the block more than once during the course of the meal to keep from crying. A very disappointing birthday brunch. Not ok at McDonald's, not ok at Bijou Cafe. Great food, poor treatment.
(2)
Shannon P.

Excellent breakfasts times three. Omelettes were superb and the coffee was top notch.
(5)
Andrej R.

Had the Olympic provision brunch...gravy - interesting consistency interesting taste. Homemade biscuits - can't tell the difference tasted like store bought. I don't mean to be so negative but this was just an overall disappointing meal. There was just no flavor. I don't usually rate things but the waiter didn't ask how it was so I thought I would tell ya'll. They were out of Ham which was substituted by sausage, that was fine. Overall, not worth waiting for on a Sunday morning.
(1)
Wil M.

I love the French Toast made with cinnamon bread here. This is a must go whenever I am in town.
(5)
K Q.

We came here for breakfast and didn't have to wait long for a table to seat 6 of us which was nice. The place was packed and it felt like our waiter was trying to be super formal - weird in this cafe environment, but he was nice. Service was good but slow, due to the fact that the wait staff has to hand pour individual servings of milk or cream for your coffee. Why not just bring a jug of cream to the table for everyone to share? I had the chorizo hash. The sausage was made in house and it was pretty good. A tad under seasoned. The strange part was my tea. They serve loose leaf tea in this small colander/strainer that you set on your mug, but the tea leaves don't make it into the hot water unless you practically overflow the mug. Useless. My hubs had the cauliflower & kale hash and declared it his favourite meal of our entire trip to Portland! Overall, a win....I'd want to come back if they fix the tea situation and took themselves a little bit less seriously.
(4)
Mark P.

It's the little things that set really good restaurants apart from the competition. In Bijou's case, we're talking about ketchup. That's right, ketchup. The condiment closely associated with hamburgers and french fries. It's homemade, organic, and served in a little glass jar with a spoon for scooping. Thick, luscious, and slightly sweet, the ketchup proved to be the perfect accompaniment to my crispy fried potatoes. If they sold it on the premises, I'd probably buy a case of the stuff. I suppose I should talk about the actual food, though... We arrived at 11 AM on a Friday, so thankfully, there was no wait to contend with as you'd expect on a busy weekend. We were seated right away, as a matter of fact. My wife ordered coffee, and it was smooth and delicious, a blend from Cafe Vitta, right down the block next to Voodoo Doughnut. I opted for a Bloody Mary, as I'm on a quest to find the best in town, and theirs was pretty good, though not quite worthy of the top spot. The pickled green bean and salted rim were nice touches. I'm a sucker for hash (not that kind!), so I chose the Olympic Provisions chorizo with roasted red peppers and two eggs over easy. The potatoes were cut into larger and thicker pieces than you usually find in a hash, but I wasn't complaining (see above: ketchup). I was a little disappointed in the chorizo, as it lacked seasoning; I hate when chefs are afraid of a little salt and pepper. This was easily remedied, though. The eggs were cooked perfectly - cutting into the yolk yielded a nice, creamy, golden stream of deliciousness that accented the other ingredients. Good stuff! My wife ordered the Mushroom and Bravo Cheddar French omelette (fluffy; made with egg whites only) that was light, airy, and delicious. For some reason she went with the green salad on the side, rather than potatoes, which meant fewer ketchup opportunities. She also chose a muffin, and ended up with a moist, tasty apple muffin that turned out to be the perfect size. Service was friendly and efficient. This is a great breakfast/brunch spot committed to serving locally produced and grown foods, in a convenient spot close to the waterfront. I'll definitely return!
(4)
Michael J.

Excellent breakfast option in downtown Portland. Not nearly as busy as other places closer to the riverfront. The omelettes are top notch and the bacon rivals any I've ever had. The French toast was great as well.
(5)
Craig L.

Sunday brunch around 12:00, waited two minutes. Another great Portland breakfast amid eclectic group of diners. We ordered from daily specials, green chorizo hash for me, wife had Panko crusted zucchini with roasted asparagus, snap peas, egg with awesome chimichurri sauce. Both dishes were great, she loved her choice. Service was spot on and atmosphere pleasant. Thanks again yelp for directing out of town folk to great Portland establishment.
(5)
Scott B.

Bold flavor meets portland farm feel. We went here based on other yelp reviews and were not let down. The price, although steep, was worth it. The redwood hill omelette was bursting with flavor and all the sauces were nice compliments to the perfectly cooked potatoes
(5)
Walter S.

Had the adobo slow-cooked pork with grits and a poached egg. The texture on those grits was immaculate, and the pork was flavorful and perfectly cooked. I stole a biscuit off a friend's plate. Hands down the best I've ever had.
(5)
Suzy P.

I rarely tip less than 20% because waiting tables is hard work, and I don't expect a whole lot in the way of decent service. But I had a pretty crappy breakfast experience this morning at Bijou and tipped less than 10% because it was all easily preventable. I've been to the cafe years ago several times, and seems like it's really gone downhill, or maybe I just hit it on an "off" day. The servers were generally pretty unfriendly. It would be nice to have a "hello" or "good morning" from the hostess and/or my server, maybe even a smile. My server generally ignored me, and when she dropped off my plate with a mistaken order, it took me a long time to flag someone down to fix the order. And there was no, "sorry for the inconvenience" or acknowledgement of the error. Overall, I just felt like I was the inconvenience to the hostess & server. That is all no big deal. But the food itself was not good. The tofu scramble was just dried-out overcooked tofu with garlic and parsley. It tasted weird. How about some nice sauteed veggies in there? Maybe an option of a little goat cheese? It's not hard to do a tasty scramble. The salad was lackluster too. The coffee was amazing.... so good. But it was strange that my waitress only gave me a half cup on my first refill, even though her coffee pot in hand had plenty in it. I had to wait a long time for another opportunity for a refill. Finally, I sat there for what seemed like forever to get my bill settled, though my cash was on the check in plain sight for at least 15 minutes. At 8:00 a.m. in the morning downtown on a weekday, things should move a little faster.... we gotta get to work. It wasn't full in there, and there were plenty of servers. So all in all... meh. I won't be back.
(1)
Amy N.

Location: Good; Cleanliness: Great; Friendliness: Good; Timeliness: Could be better; Food quality: OK; Price: Moderate; Ordered: Brioche French toast and local cider. I was seated promptly, but the hostess seemed a little bummed that I wanted a table instead of the bar, since I was by myself. Then, it took awhile for the waitress to come. Finally, I ordered. The order took awhile. The French toast was OK. I mean, it's better than I could make, but that honestly isn't saying much. There wasn't anything incredibly unique or outstanding about it. If you are looking for that, go to Mother's. It was closed at the time of writing this, but hopefully it will be back open soon! It took a really long time to get the waitress to come back to take my payment. That wasn't fun; I had to eavesdrop on a very.disinteresting conversation while waiting. I would recommend coming here if you are looking for decent food and have a lot of time. I would never come here if you are in a rush.
(4)
Angelika I.

I was about to stop having omelettes for brunch because they're typically too bland, but then I had a French omelette at Bijou Cafe. Well, this is the best omelette I've had in Portland so far. I tried the NW oyster, bacon and onion omelette with a side of green salad (it was gluten-free, which is why I could order it). It was out of this world! The egg part was fluffy and well seasoned, just like I would make a home; the bacon added a salty flavor; the oysters, drenched in cornmeal, and onions added a slightly sweet flavor. It was simply delicious. Needless to say, I will be back for more. I also ordered green tea, and it was loose-leaf tea, which is much better than the bagged kind - another plus in my book.
(5)
Anna B.

We waited a very long time for our food. People who came after us got their food about 15 minutes before us. The regular coffee was not good. The special bacon wrapped 2 eggs was tasty. Fried chicken was perfectly crispy.
(3)
Michael F.

I've never had an omelette with asparagus before coming to Bijou Cafe...what a pleasant surprise! Our server was very nice, and the food and coffee was delicious! We'll be back soon!
(4)
Kyle D.

Great food, delicious oysters. Service took forever and they had the nerve to bring our check 5 minutes into our meal. That is just rude. The kitchen deserves the tip, not the servers.
(3)
Alexandra S.

Great breakfast, fantastic service.It gets busy so come early to get a seat!! Very kid-friendly without being kid-oriented. The rare place that has the required kid options (plain pancakes, plain french toast) plus intesting breakfast options for grownups (kale and cauliflower hash with harissa -- yum!)
(4)
Marina P.

Horrible service. Food was alright. Prices were alright. Was excited about this place, but not anymore. The best thing I tried- fresh grapefruit juice!
(3)
Astra N.

I've been coming here since the mid-eighties, and the Bijou lives up to its name - a gem, in every sense of the word; it's the Best Breakfast Place in Portland; period. My favorite is the Farmer's Omelette - while I'm normally an Eggs Benedict kind of guy, if I'm going to be downtown in the early morning 'cause I've gotta make that trip to Zupan's, then I'm torn between the Eggs Bennie at the Hotel D-Luxe, or the Bijou. Usually the Bijou wins out. The casual dress code (it's a hangout for local hipsters who've found the best of everything in downtown) means I can show up in shorts and a t-shirt without anyone looking at me strangely - and did I mention the omelette? I don't know how they do it - I've traveled extensively, and they make the lightest, fluffiest omelettes I've ever had, period, right here in my hometown. Local ingredients are key here - if something's out of season, don't count on them bringing something in from out of the country (by example, right now is the best season in ten for Chanterelle mushrooms; they'll do Chanterelle's in your omelette - and on a lot of their other dishes - for not a lot of extra scratch.) Get yours with a salad (they do a pull-no-punches Champagne vinegar/Dijon mustard dressing); as in the photo, there's a baguette involved. Portland Roasting's coffee and orange juice fresh from their own kitchen will complete things nicely. Warning: It's not Denney's-cheap; you're paying for some of the best kitchen and front-of-the-house talent in town; go there twice, and they'll remember your name. As mentioned, everything's local, and everything's fresh - and you *can* tell the difference. Worth every penny.
(5)
Jesse W.

Only had to wait about 15 minutes on Sunday at ~11am. There were so many yummy sounding things on the menu, but I decided to go with the Redwood Hill omelette. It was cheesy and bacony as advertised. The potatoes were sauteed nicely and tasted great with the red/green hot sauces and homemade ketchup. I chose the Apple Spiced muffin and my server brought it out first because it was the last one. I was really happy he did that because the muffin was fantastic! My wife had the oyster sandwich, which she enjoyed although we both agreed that it might have been better with something other than ciabatta bread. Good food and great service. Would definitely come back again to try out the other things on the menu!
(5)
Richard B.

Nice place for brunch, located next to Stumptown Coffee. The food is simple and direct. I loved the buckwheat noodles with slaw and mushrooms. Best of all, our waitress took time to point out she has one of the weirdest bikes in Portland, draped in plastic flower leis. Toto: this is Portland.
(3)
Andrew B.

Well, I remembered this place to be much better! Cafeteria quality food, will not be back.
(2)
Neha M.

While we were waiting for Mother's cafe waiting list to become current, we stumbled upon Bijou and we were so glad that we did. We decided to ditch Mother's. We took the bar seats at first and were given a table. I had coffee and enjoyed free refills. Food-wise, I tried out the oyster omelet which was decadent and rich with fried oysters (of course) and bacon (lots of it). I opted for the pepper muffin which was amazing. D had baked egg with Andouille sausage with potatoes. Both were delicious and not overly large and heavy. Overall great place. Will be back to try more stuff.
(4)
Mad A.

I'm giving 3 stars and feel that's generous. Breakfast service at 10am on a Monday was very slow, sat down at the counter and couldn't even get eye contact with a server for 10 minutes even though many of them walked back and forth in front of me. Was thinking of leaving but was rescued; turned out after the wait the food was only fair. Biscuits with gravy, ham, and 2 eggs ($14) way overpriced considering the gravy was very bland and uninspired. Really disappointing. Biscuits and gravy lovers should go elsewhere -- Bijou doesn't come close to Mother's, Screen Door, Arleta Library, etc..
(3)
Michael C.

A mere 3 blocks away from the famous Voodoo donuts is this wonderful sit down breakfast/brunch spot. There is also a bar area where you can be seated for quick dining. I came here with several friends on a Sunday morning and the wait time was approximately 30 minutes. The menu is short and sweet, which I prefer, but you can pretty much request anything special that you would like. The draw here would be their French Omelettes and their Hashes. I tried their French Omelette with NY Oysters and mushrooms and a side of Chicken Sausage, which were awesome! my friends were also impressed with their dishes as well, the hash also came out pretty well too. Service was pretty reasonable 15-20 minutes from ordering we were all served. In comparison to Mother's Bistro, I have to say I was more impressed with the value and portions here. The wait time was also fairly manageable. I would gladly come back here over Mother's.
(4)
Sudipto G.

Another Sunday another brunch place! Oysters made into hash, never knew that was possible, but really enjoyed it... towards the end of my dish was a bit unsure whether this made the best use of the flavor of oysters, but still.. really like the food.. and the atmosphere is great too..
(4)
Jennifer H.

Food was good. But unless you like to twittle your thumbs for an hour to wait for your food don't bother. (The coffee even took over 20 minutes after ordered) You know it's bad when you try to pay and leave and you can't get your card back from your waitress. Still waiting on my card after 30 minutes.
(1)
Fred L.

Bijou,I love you. You're everything I want in a cafe. You're always there; what has it been now? 20 years? More? Seems like forever. And I like that. As much as I love your consistency, it's your sense of adventure and daring that turns me on. The way you put together tastes and styles, you're truly original. And no matter whether I'm by myself or with a group of friends, you always treat me the same. You're friendly and helpful even when you've got a line out the door. I know that some other Yelpers have been a little hard on you lately so I just wanted to say keep up the good food and service and our relationship will last as long as you'll have me.
(4)
John W.

Food is excellent. Service is very poor. The food is 5 stars hands down. It took 15 minutes for the waitress to come buy for drinks. She was not able to take our order even then. It was another 4 minutes for that. After that all was well. Slow service may be on par for the region. I am not a local, but for me I would of walked out if I was in my home town.
(4)
Claire P.

This place is great!! they treat you like family and is a real cozy place to eat at. i would recomend this to everyone! they can be busy at times(which tells you very popular and good place) but you never have to wait to long. try the beet salad and buiscits and gravy! customer service---5stars
(5)
Julie D.

Best breakfast I've had so far in Portland. Fluffy, tasty omelette with a cup of hot, hard cider. Can't really beat that. Our server was warm and welcoming and we didn't have to wait long for a table. We'll be back soon for the oyster dish - which they were out of that day.
(5)
Harsh K.

Great fried oyster hash, not traditional in that the potatoes were a bit chunky, but the oysters were giant and perfectly fried in a cornmeal batter. Really delicious. The waitress was super friendly, and the cocktails were good too. We'll definitely be back next time we're in portland
(4)
Kylie L.

Oyster Hash! yelp.com/user_local_photâ€¦ Just get that! It's large enough for 2 people to share. I also had toast with Marionberry jam, because I wasn't feeling too well yelp.com/user_local_photâ€¦ . Sarah L. and I shared both of those and were satisfied. I've gone to Portland twice this year, and ate here during both of those trips. So good! The waitresses are extremely friendly! What's not to like?
(5)
Chris H.

It's really not that hard to prepare a good breakfast/brunch. If Elmers can manage it, surely the Bijou can too? Apparently not. I ordered the fried-oyster hash with an egg on top. Sounds good, doesn't it? I love oysters and It's prime oyster season, but these oysters tasted like thick dry breading. The potatoes were not hash, but big tasteless dry, yet oily, slightly burned chunks. No seasonings, not even salt and pepper. Though I tried to save this meal by applying salt, pepper, and hot sauce, there was no salvation. My dining partner also ordered oysters, but he got the oyster sandwich. It was a disaster. It was so soupy with messy coleslaw, that his plate resembled a soup bowl. It totally saturated the roll it was served on as well as the homemade potato chips. That would have been a shame, but the potato chips were so cold, thick, and greasy that it just didn't matter anyway. He couldn't even taste the oysters for all of the bread and breading. We also ordered the brussels sprouts and cauliflower so we could have a vegetable. These were deep-fried and cold and totally saturated with oil. We've had good fried cauliflower elsewhere and we love brussels sprouts, so these were especially disappointing. While the service was generally efficient and friendly, they never asked how the food was. They just asked if we were done "working on it" and didn't seem at all surprised when we left more than half of it on our plates. We left with a thick greasy feeling in our mouths, but still hungry because we couldn't bring ourselves to finish the food. All of the food tasted as if it suffered from being prepped far ahead of time. The consolation is that there are many good restaurants in Portland, so we don't need to ever go back here again, but this was certainly our most disappointing dining experience of 2014.
(2)
Christina L.

Redwood Hill Smoked Goat Cheddar with Bacon & Green Onions: This French-style omelette meal was $13. I am told that everything from this place is organic. The orange juice tasted fresh and had pulp in it, the berry muffin (possibly raspberry or cranberry? not quite sure...) was amazing, the omelette and potatoes were wonderfully textured and almost creamy even. Big place with small tables. My aunt ordered the House-Made Carlton Pork Sausage & Eggs but presentation-wise, it looks better than my dish, so I decided to include it. I did not taste it, but the entire dish was $10, and my aunt said the eggs, potatoes, and sausage all tasted very fresh and delicious, like nothing she's ever eaten before.
(4)
Megan H.

This was my first top on my Portland food bender and it was a good opening meal. Not huge portions, but just enough for a brunch. I got the oyster hash since it was a highlight and I'm glad I did. The corn meal batter nicely balanced oyster flavor and it was fried crisp without any excess oil. Surprisingly light for a deep fried entree. My friend got the achiote pork hominy. All I can say is hominy is weird. It's like dense corn, even dryer than a bean. We were both pretty thrown off by this texture and wouldn't order it again. Otherwise, the pork was tender but we left the hominy on the plate.
(3)
Rebecca F.

Wow! What amazing food! My daughters and I went for late breakfast and it was so wonderful. The poached eggs with bacon and chimmichuri were amazing. My daughter's biscuits and gravy was fantastic and my other daughters eggs with harissa were scrumptous. We just loved our experience there. Thank you so much.
(4)
Breniel L.

We were waiting in line for brunch at another location around the corner, but they were taking too long to get us seated so we came here. I had the roast beef hash and it was fantastic. The beef was nice and tender and the sautÃ©ed onions were soft and flavorful. I normally do not eat onions, but I ate all of the onions on my plate. The service here was great. The waitress we had answered all our questions and they let my friends put their luggage on the side of the wall that was visible. When I come to Portland again, I am definitely coming back.
(4)
Mary Y.

We were excited to try this restaurant because it had great reviews. I got the special which was the fried buttermilk chicken and waffles with roasted pepper jam. I asked for the jam on the side and glad I did because the flavor of the jam was too over-powering. The order came with 2 large pieces of waffles with leg and thigh. I cut into the chicken and unfortunately, found hair in it. The waitress took it back and returned with with 1 chicken breast. I'm not a huge fan of chicken breast but it was their last piece so I had no other choice. The chicken was okay but I have had better, I think it was just lacking some flavor. Fortunately, the breast wasn't dry which is always a big worry for me. Cute place to enjoy breakfast and lunch and service was alright.
(3)
Jen G.

I have been here twice -- both times that I have been in Portland. It is cute cafe with good food. I had the cauliflower and kale hash the last time I was here. There portions are really big! Don't forget to check out the specials on the chalk board. They are easy to miss.
(4)
Jimin K.

We ordered fried chicken steak with pancakes and biscuits. It was sooooo good!! And its organic!
(5)
Tom T.

A nice place to have breakfast in a cool old building. Service was friendly and prompt. Food was above average.
(4)
Miya A.

Oyster omelette. :)
(5)
Elijah H.

Ate here for brunch. Expect to wait a little bit because this is one of the more popular breakfast joints in town. The menu is very diverse, full of creative options. I had the roast beef hash it was pretty good, the beef was a little dry but very flavorful. I also tried the kale and cauliflower hash and it was very delicious. Overall, good place for breakfast/brunch
(4)
Ed L.

I've been going to the Bijou for over 20 years. It and the Cadillac Cafe are my favorite spots in town for breakfast. The Bijou can do a scrambled egg, bacon and potatoes better than anyone in town. I realize that sounds odd given those three things are so simple. But, cooking an egg correctly is actually quite a skill. To have a fluffy, not over done, flavorful scrambled egg is a wonderful thing. I also love the omelette of the day, usually, and most muffins. Good coffee. Good service.
(4)
Sherry Y.

Great place for a nice leisurely lunch (don't tell the boss) or have a nice lunch meeting. If you work around the corner as I do you can make it in and out in an hour easily (half an hour if you skip the chit chat). I had the french toast with berries and whipped cream(on the specials menu)--tasty. The waitress was nice, made sure our beverages were filled. They bring the bill with the food. Subtle "get our now?" or we know you're busy and maybe you just want to get in and out? Anyone want to have a nice lunch downtown? I'll meet you at Bijou.
(4)
Laura N.

Menus with pictures. They seem to stir up different emotions with everyone...but for me, it is always slightly unsettling when the food that arrives looks so much like the picture that you're convinced the chef is cooking by numbers rather than using a recipe. Bijou did NOT have picture menus. However, the food elicited this emotion. It came out looking so perfect and undisturbed that I could have been convinced it was cooked in some sort of food shaped mold and injected with flavor and color! My veggie omelet tasted oddly similar to my potatoes, and while fruit dish boasted some rare additions, they all tasted the same. Hmmm... The food was certainly good, the service was quick and friendly. Was Bijou the "Jewel" that name insists? Perhaps. But did it live up to the hype? Most definitely not.
(3)
Luna P.

Oyster omelet was well cooked; sweetness of caramelized onion plays off nicely with the crisp but not dried not oily bacon and oysters in a soft creamy dreamy fluffy blanket of egg. But the highlight was the surprisingly yummy pear muffin that was freshly made in house.
(3)
Dino M.

I had high hopes for Bijou after moving here. I heard a lot of good things. My expectations were not high as I am a food realist, but man, what a disappointment. I definitely dig the decor and the ambiance. Also like the open kitchen. I ordered the roast beef hash with 2 eggs up. Instead of hash, all I got was a pile of tasteless chunks of potatoes with some pieces of beef (they were tender) that didn't have a bit of carmelization. It was like they were cooked on a part of the grill that was WAY too cool. I have to hand it to them that the eggs up were perfect though. All in all a big pile of garbage. And no toast for my eggs? And all for $12.25??? Give me a break... Our server was most gracious and charming.
(3)
Pat C.

After all these years, Bijou is still one of my favorite breakfast places. They serve consistently great breakfasts and have wonderful servers.
(5)
Cher F.

Why are most of these downtown Portland, Oregon restaurants/cafes always pretty damn good? I have no idea what these Portlanders are putting in their eggs but its hella good. Bijou Cafe was so packed but everyone is so friendly that you don't mind bumping into them. The service was superb! The wait staff acted as if I was a regular customer! This is definitely the hot spot for breakfast or lunch. You have to try their roast beef hash as well as their oyster hash. BOOOMB Diggity! Drinks to definitely take on are their orange juice. That is some fresh ass juice. They fresh squeeze it as soon as you order it. The wait for seating may vary depending on the weather because when it's pouring out, they got a long line outside, but when it's sunny, try and squeeze in before the lunch hour. Breakfast is usually the best time to go.
(4)
Lily S.

Ahh the Bijou. Located in dt Portland, just a few blocks from Saturday Market, the Bijou... Wait...WTF am I saying? Let me start over. I like the Bijou. I don't love it, but I like it. It's always crowded, which I take as a good sign, and the food is relatively speedy. However, the service isn't always that great, and my omelette this time around was kind of runny. Overall, I'd go again if I were in the 'hood.
(3)
Kristine A.

Smoked Turkey was surprisingly different and delicious. I sometimes get a specific craving just for that
(4)
Andrew H.

We want it, we love it, we come back kicking for more. And they oblige.
(5)
Ada T.

My boyfriend and I stopped here for lunch based on the recommendations from Yelp and Chowhound. I'm usually not disappointed when both those sites are in agreement, but I definitely left Bijou Cafe thinking, "huh?" The cafe itself is nice, big, and airy. However, I found the French-influenced menu pretty uninteresting. I ended up getting some sort of standard breakfast that involved eggs and sausage and bread, none of which I found particularly impressive. My boyfriend got French toast, which he also seemed to feel indifferent about. Perhaps if I'd ordered one of their specialties like the oyster hash I would understand the fuss, but I don't think the Bijou Cafe is worth seeking out on a trip.
(3)
Stacia B.

This is not the place to eat if you can't have any milk products. It's a french cafe which means even the hashbrowns are cooked in butter. My friend's breakfast was good she said but I had to have poached eggs & dry WW toast... boaring! Mother's Cafe had a line out the door. The service we had wasn't very good but it seemed like other tables had good service. I had to ask for my coffee to get filled each time I wanted some & it always took at least 5 min. before she came over with pot after I asked.Needless to say I won't go back.
(3)
Karin T.

Cute place and delicious breakfast. I had the farmers omelet with potatoes and fruit. Delicious. Also the Le bicyclette, sparking with elderflower-yum!
(4)
D M.

Local and organic whenever possible. Based on a single visit, my impression is this place is absolutely amazing. Best breakfast I've had in a long time, I will be going back way too often. Sunday noonish, pretty busy so sit at the counter or expect to wait a little bit.
(5)
Vicki S.

I had an absolutely delicious breakfast here. The mushrooms were very tasty. The waitress was very professional. I beat the wait by eating at the counter.
(4)
Daniel R.

Great food. Full bar, and my Bloody Mary was delicious and strong. The waitress was quirky and funny. I had the hash, which was delicious, and my partner had the cinnamon French toast, which was also good. Definitely a great brunch place.
(4)
Scott B.

I've had a lot of omelettes. I've had quite a few French ones too. And I admit it could have just been the day. But the French omelette I had here was very probably the best I've ever had. I had the omelette with goat cheese cheddar, bacon, and green onions. It was everything I could ever wish for, and I fully intend to try and replicate it in my own kitchen. My friend had an omelette with feta which was good, but not nearly as good. In fact, it was stuffed a little too full of feta which made it a pretty salty affair. Personally, I would have enjoyed it if they had turned it more Mediterranean by including some kalamata olives and maybe some red onion. My friend argued that the simplicity made it nice. Either way, it was still a solid omelette, just not as good as the other. Fresh squeezed orange juice is always nice, but for a small glass, I felt that 3.75 was a bit much to pay. That's hardly a big complaint, and 9 months later I still think about that omelette, so this thoroughly deserves a fifth star.
(5)
Cassandra D.

I went here this morning when the Brunch on the Bridge was a bust. Enjoyed - my quesadilla with pumpkin sauce had such a unique flavor - Heaven in my mouth. Next time I'll have one of the omelettes which all of my friends had; they were huge, with lots of side choices. I want to try the organic tomato salad as my side. Yum. Disliked - service was slow, but our waitress was sweet enough to make it ok. I'd try this place out again, if I am in the neighborhood, but I don't think I'd make a special trip.
(3)
James D.

I was referred to this restaurant from The Benson. I don't think I've ever been more disappointed in the service or quality of food. I wanted an egg white omelette. They flat out refused to make it. Saying, "we don't do egg whites". BIG MISTAKE. The service was lackluster at best. It was almost as if they had something better to do. (Granted, it was a sunny day in Portland.) I will NEVER return to invest my time or money in this establishment. Sure, the expanded building looks great but appearances aren't everything. Do yourself a favor and dine elsewhere.
(1)
Ashley C.

Indeed it is a cute breakfast place. Light and bright with a soaring ceiling that makes it feel much bigger than it actually is. My hubby and I really had been wanting some good breakfast so we pulled out our trusty list of "places to try." We walked in and were greeted by a friendly waitress and seated immediately. We looked over the menu, very to-the-point, and were directed to the specials board. I choose the brioche french toast and my husband decided on the roast beef hash. Our food arrived quickly and when it was laid in front of us we were very pleased. French toast is french toast when it comes to presentation but taste is another thing. This was the right combination of soft bready center and buttery crust. Served with real maple syrup, and berry syrup, what a great meal! My husband's roast beef hash was like whoa! If you're the type of person that feels like they never give you enough meat in hash this one is for you! I swear there must have been a whole 10 ounces of beef in there. The beef did lack a bit in salt but that was easily fixed table side. The potatoes are homestyle and topped with *perfect* eggs.
(4)
Richard H.

The oyster omelet was possibly the best omelet I've ever had. I might suggest the addition of spinach, but I hesitate to modify such delight. The oyster hash looked great too, and the sandwiches are tempting as well. I was charmed by the "soup of the moment", although I have a lot of items on the menu to go through first. The layout is open and light. They put in a windowed vestibule, half wall, and floating wall to prevent newcomers from tromping in and disturbing seated diners. The main grill is semi-exposed, and the sound of the cooks is a pleasant background. It's a bit pricey, and that seems to allow them a fairly high staffing ratio and to, apparently, allow diners to relax after their after-meal beverage without feeling guilty about holding a table. Remember a photo of your pet for the pinboard in the back.
(4)
Jav V.

Excellent breakfast. The potatoes are awesome... so is the bacon... and the eggs. That's what I had. Good OJ too. We sat at the bar and were told about Oregon for a while. That was the only downside. The upside of the bar was that we didn't have to wait.
(4)
amii c.

3.5 stars because the asparagus omelet, while tasty, was $14. Which was something the BF didn't know when he ordered it, because it was a special that the waitress told us about and wasn't printed on the menu, so we didn't see the price until afterwards. If an omelet costs that much, it should blow your mind. Now I'm no fan of asparagus, but even I liked his omelet. They get big points for making asparagus taste good to a long time asparagus-hater. My oatmeal was decent. Not terribly exciting, not a flavor explosion (unlike Bloop's oatmeal!), but almost soft enough, and with almost enough flavor. Came with brown sugar, raisins, and hazelnuts. The BF thought his coffee was decent. Service was friendly and prompt. In fact, our food came out surprisingly quickly. Very nice, light, bright, airy atmosphere.
(4)
Brandon S.

Sucks!!! Horrible service and over priced. I see why there last award was in 2008 or something along those lines. Ive walked past so many times and I once again will just keep on walking by this place. would rather stand in the stupid lines at voodoo than eat here.
(1)
Melissa L.

I hesitate to rave about this place and make it even tougher to get seated at weekend breakfasty hours, but this was one of the best breakfasts I have ever had, even if we did wait upwards of 45 mins for it. Fluffy, light, yet flavor-packed cypress omelette and roast beef hash are what we ordered, and the omelette came with this crazy-good cornmeal blueberry muffin, fresh from their oven. We only wished that we'd come there for breakfast both Sat and Sun of our weekend visit, instead of wasting our time at that Greek joint a few blocks away (but that's for another review...) Oh, and the waitress was sweet as pie, and the coffee was fantastic.
(5)
Michelle M.

Wonderful breakfast! Loses two stars for absolute worst service EVER and disgusting bathrooms.
(3)
Abi T.

Fried Oyster and Bacon Omelette. I rest my case. OK. There is the airy atmosphere and friendly service and hot coffee and local feild greens and choice of a fresh baked muffin on the side, which I saved for a snack later. All that is great and worthy of 5 stars, but just the fact that there exists a fried oyster and bacon omelette is beyond reason enough to eat here. Do they make them on the Gulf? I've never seen it, but Lordy, it's brilliant.
(5)
Wendy C.

Wonderful food. I think this was the best french toast I've ever had (the Brioche French Toast). The fruit (came with blackberries), and all of the rest of the food was incredibly fresh. And great/friendly service too.
(5)
Michelle W.

Very nice server (long brown ponytail) and good service. I loved the food. I had the housemade sausage, well prepared scrambled eggs, very tasty, garlicky salad and baguette. The huz had an omelette with potatoes and said it was good. They are in the process of remodeling which was kind of a bummer. There was a small wait but table turnover was pretty quick. I'd go again for sure.
(4)
Sharlene C.

cute and quaint cafe for breakfast. it's right next to stumptown too. my friend had said she'd eaten there before and liked it. we both at the special. black bean, leek and cheddar omletes. they came with home fries and wheat toast. the omelet turned out a bit watery prolly because of the leeks and lack a certain seasoning we couldn't put our finger on. my friend said maybe some peppers might have done the trick. it's a hearty breakfast of $11.95, so i'm not going to knock it too much. i didn't even finish. the cafe is cute and quaint. the service is attentive and quick. can't complain here.
(3)
Abigail Y.

House made scones and french country. Charming and delicious. Wait is always worth it!
(4)
Michelle C.

We beat the crowd and only had a short wait for a table. I had the French toast. It was good, but too eggy for me. My husband had the tofu scramble and said it was excellent. Overall, it was a good experience.
(3)
Kelly K.

We had one day in Portland, I yelped a place near our hotel, and we luckily settled on Bijou. Gingham curtains and French food - I almost expected a croissant basket and bowl of chocolate to materialize on the tables ... We had a 20 minute wait for our table, but we anticipated that as it was 9 a.m. on a Saturday. I ordered a goat cheese, leek omelet, my son had a waffle w/ a side of bacon, my hubby had a hash, and my very picky daughter - brioche french toast. All of it was perfect! It was the first time in a long while no one complained about something. Our waitress was prompt and refilled our water, bantered with the kids, all the while handling our order and being productive - she made us feel welcome, not like "get in-eat-get out". The whole place had that relaxed vibe, despite all the people, everyone was being served but there was no crazy hair-pulling-rushing around. The food arrived quicker than I thought it would for such a busy time. My omelet had the right amount of everything in it. No overflow of cheese or leek, I could still savor the egg involved. The potatoes were fantastic - the down side being I had to defend them from wayward forks heading my way. Well worth the wait and the price. The food is very fresh and just has that "clean" taste. Only wish we had a comparable in Seattle!
(5)
Holly F.

Our first brunch experience in Portland... Will come back on next visit. Highlights were: fresh-squeezed OJ, mushroom hash, great waitress (just the right balance of nice, helpful, efficient, attentive), policy of allowing Stumptown coffee at the table since they're right next door, nice organization behind the counters, good natural flow, great vibe. Next time want to try the oatmeal - someone put in a good word earlier, but I was afraid to miss out on savory breakfast while here.
(5)
Erin L.

Great little breakfast spot in downtown Portland. Wonderful omelettes, but I went for the pumpkin seed mole quesadilla, and was not disappointed. Good food but nothing outrageously wonderful and a little spendy leaves this a decent 3-star spot to check out.
(3)
Chris C.

Bijou, Cafe. I, Love you. This was our second trip to Bijou, and proved that our first experience was not a fluke; this place is fantastic. The brioche french toast was thick, fluffy, filling. Topped with a compote, homemade whipped cream and maple syrup, you can't ask for more. My wife had the tofu scrambler, and it was very good as well. Had a definite french taste. Classic breakfast potatoes with organic ketchup. The coffee was also wonderful, and the refills were timely and plentiful. Keep it coming! They were also very accommodating for our 5 person, 3 check party. No complaints about separate checks... pretty rare these days. If you've got time to wait for a table, you must give this place a try.
(5)
Sara S.

4.5 stars, rouding it up to five. This place is kind of minimalist, old school, yet verging on trendy all at the same time. Interesting combination, but it works. After considering Gravy and Stepping Stone (I know I can down that huge stack of pancakes), I decided on Bijou. I was told it was old-school Portland and not to be missed on my trip. I sat at the counter and got a shortstack. One oatmeal and one cornmeal pancake. The cornmeal was good, but it took a few bites to notice a difference in taste as compared ot the buttermilk. Oatmeal, though, was fantastic. I'd never had oatmeal pancakes, and I really enjoyed the nuttiness, slightly chunky texture, and mushiness of it. YUM. The marionberry syrup is great, but I mixed the maple and marionberry and made my own little "dipping sauce". These were some of the best pancakes I've had in a long time. Pancakes are generously sized, although not HUGE or overwhelming. My bill was $5.25. What a steal! My server was really nice and chill, and we chatted for a bit. This place is filled with buttoned-up 40-somethings, not young hipsters like I would have thought. I think they were down the street at VooDoo or Stumptown.
(5)
Miriam W.

Bijou Cafe came highly recommended from one of my favorite Washingtonian's co-workers and most definitely did not disappoint. Service is friendly and capable; tea is loose leaf and the specials written on the chalkboard sparkle making this French-inspired cafe a great place to fuel up before a walk to the Pearl or a drive to the coast. The mushroom hash is a must-order and made perfect if you ask for a side of sour cream to go with.
(4)
Aimee L.

I wish I could wrap Bijou up and take it and place it near my house for easy weekend breakfasts. I'm not terribly keen on their lunches but their breakfasts are phenomenal, especially the egg dishes. Great quality and focus on sustainability (killer example? they don't provide straws because they're not recyclable/compostable. love it.). Very good coffee and I've always had excellent service. Downtown needs more places like this if they want people to start coming back - being a native, I used to always come downtown, now there's not much motivation beyond Bijou on a weekend...
(4)
Kathleen B.

This is one of our favorite breakfast places. They do the basics and do them well. I really love their pancakes; you can get different varieties in a single stack! I'm not sure whether I like the oatmeal or the buckwheat pancakes better. Their French toast is awesome also. A few slightly less traditional items; their quesadilla is surprisingly delicious. The interior is the perfect little neat cafe. It's cozy and light, the kind of cafe people write books about. Service is always friendly and attentive.
(5)
Dan P.

This was our first meal in Portland and it did not disappoint. Ambiance was great...lively but not loud, very friendly greet and wait staff. Food was excellent. We shared two dishes, the oyster mash and the tofu scramble. We were skeptical about the oyster mash, as it doesnt seem like much of a breakfast food, but it was very tasty. Lightly friend, not too fishy. The tofu scramble was excellent, they got the texture right (more scrambled-egg-like)where many other restaurants fail. As far as sides, the potatoes were perfect (crispy but not burnt), and the muffin of the day (apple spice) held us over for lunch. They even had organic ketchup! Will definitely come back on my next visit!
(5)
Bryony T.

What a pleasurable experience. I had a great post-5am bedtime breakfast and maddi and justin the beautiful made it so fun. Get the bloody Mary coz it's a great drunk at noon. Also love that they were flexible on the order coz I'm really fussy but got the moat amazing omlette. Thanks for a great breakfast.
(5)
Jess O.

I was a bit surprised when it was completely empty at 1pm for lunch. But it was cute and the people who work there are uber nice. I ordered the quesadillas. They arrived looking uninspiring. Not even a garnish -- and tasted terrible. All 4 of us at the table grimaced upon tasting them. Two of the groups had omlets and reported that they were very tasty. WE also all agreed on the black bean soup. But the bread is pretty dry. Be warned the lemonade is lemony -- which is awesome -- but it is so tart it is hard to drink. Be prepared to add sugar or to practice your pucker.
(3)
Melinda K.

This is a review for breakfast at this cafe. It was outstanding. I had the blackboard special omelet - divine combination of chorizo and cheddar cheese. My husband had the roast beef hash off the regular menu. Also great. I love Illy coffee which is what they serve - sooo good. We were meant to go to voodoo doughnuts but couldn't be bothered lining up. Glad that we cam here instead. Note, this is a bit of a shady area so beware.
(5)
Debbie C.

Tofu scramble was exactly the light brunch fare I was looking for. It came with home fries and a yummy blueberry pecan muffin. Everything was great. I tried some of the oyster scramble, bacon goatcheese scramble and the orange brioche and everything was delicious. The orange juice is also freshly squeezed. The wait was about 30 minutes but fortunately Stumptown is next door so I was able to grab a cup of Organic Guatamalan coffee as i read the morning paper.
(4)
Robert W.

The food was really good. The wait was short. I was a little distressed when our coffee wasn't immediately forthcoming...but when I heard the waitress make a reference to Noam Chomsky, it was all good by me. I'll be back...if only to support aging (gracefully) hippie waitresses who can make a credible offhanded remark about Chomsky.
(4)
Sufiya K.

I came here on a whim because Mother's was closed on Mondays. I was really disappointed but decided to check this place out. I loved the atmophere, nice french country decor, very clean, airy and big windows. I had a veggie omelette. The eggs were so light and fluffy...it must be made with heavy cream? Overall the food and service was good and I would come back the next time I'm in the area...Breakfast is my favorite meal and I am pretty particular with foods so I would say this is a solid breakfast spot. Their lattes are really good!! The other 2 guys I were with also really enjoyed their meals.
(4)
Matt M.

Wow... Portland never ceases to amaze me... Every meal here continues to blow my mind and Bijou was no exception. In fairness, there was no way I could have ordered anything but the oyster ommelette after I saw someone next to me eating one... And I was not disappointed. Hyperbole aside - one of the best ommelettes I've ever had... Rich an delicious and the jams were amazing as well. My girlfriend had the mushroom and cheddar ommelette and it was great too (although definitely a league below my order) Good service as well... Altogether an amazing brunch
(4)
Amanda E.

This cafe has great breakfasts and good lunches. The service is fast and friendly. The menu has wonderful selections for vegetarians.
(4)
Doug G.

They have a very good evening menu, too. I had the Warm Black Kale Salad with hazelnuts, Dijon vinaigrette. Excellent! Then I tried the burger with jalapeÃ±o chutney - another great choice. I had the jasmine pearl tea and of course, Nancy King and her talented group of jazz musicians added to the atmosphere.
(4)
Ashley C.

Bijou Cafe sits pretty on a corner office of a lovely building downtown Portland. It's even conveniently next door to Stumptown. Can't ask for anything better - good food and coffee in the same building A friend of mine introduced me to this wonderful restaurant. The menu selection is very limited if you're not a vegetarian. But the dishes are always fresh and delicious. I wouldn't go as far to say gourmet, but very close. For a small restaurant it packs a lot of punches. I wouldn't recommend coming here with a large group, because seats are limited. The staff is very nice and accommodating. Even with the hectic demands of their customer, they always whip up a friendly smile.
(5)
Debbie Chiou S.

Hubs tried the roast beef hash and I tried he oyster omelet. He loved his dish, but I thought mine was a bit bland and prefer the taiwanese style oyster omelets so much more.
(3)
Cody W.

I just ate here for lunch, and it was really good. I got the bacon burger with Jalapeno chutney. I highly recommend it. The only reason why I docked it a point was because they don't have Diet Pepsi. Not even Diet Coke. Not even Diet Rite! What gives? I had to drink water out of a shot glass sized cup. Slightly annoyed, but the burger made up for it.
(4)
Jay G.

Went in for a late breakfast/ brunch. The staff was great and the food selection awesome. The place was even better than expected.
(4)
Samsonight S.

"It is a pleasure to serve people here" - That's what my waitress told me. The place was slammed, I was by myself on business and she still took the time to have a real conversation with me. I believed her when she said it and the service is just one of the reasons I'll go back next time Portland. The other- The French Omelet with Bacon. AMAZING.
(5)
Charles C.

First time trying French style omelettes and I am sold. The farmers omelette included onions, bacon, cheese with the flavor of a rich french onion soup. The eggs were very light as they are quickly taken off the skillet. I also enjoyed the sides of the salad and baguette.
(5)
Joni W.

Great service and delicious pancakes! +1 for Very clean, gender-neutral bathrooms!!! Decor needs a facelift.
(5)
Paulette L.

We came here just before noon so the wait wasn't too bad, about 30 mins (it was an hour+ wait at Mother's Bistro down the street!). I like how you just write your name down so you can pop in and see where you are on the list. But then again, it's hard to find the host when you have a question. Service was great. Our waitress at first mentioned they were out of vanilla for the french toast, then came back to offer it up since they got some in. Ambiance is pretty casual and open. It's not a huge space, so don't get mad at a little elbow bumping. But do get mad at a butt tapping your drink.... yeah that happened. I got the bacon wrapped eggs with chimchurri sauce and biscuit special. That was gooooood, but a little hard to eat. The bacon wasn't too crispy (and i love burnt bacon) and I specifically asked for well-done eggs. Everything tasted awesome, don't get me wrong. It was just plated so pretty that I had to destroy it to get a little bite of everything. Hubs got the brioche French Toast. And I would highly suggest getting the Brioche French Toast because THAT is how French toast is supposed to taste. SO GOOD. Creamy and perfect inside, a little texture on the edge. With the Marionberry sauce. Heaven. There was some hype about their biscuits, which is partly why I got the special. It's pretty good - nice and dense, flaky and tasty, unlike some places where their biscuits taste like balls of flour. I wouldn't write a sonnet about it, but they tasted great with my meal. So why the 4 and not 5? I think I had high hopes for more of a "French" menu (whatever that means). The dishes they offered seemed like typical American breakfast items to me. Another big perk? It shares a wall with Stumptown so you can get your caffeine on while waiting for a table. I'd love to come back and explore more of the menu.
(4)
Leila L.

This place serves the most delicious breakfast food I've ever had! I arrived with a large party (8 of us!) and the hostess rearranged tables to seat all of us together in under five minutes. Very impressive! I ordered the special, poached egg over asparagus, with wheat toast and a coffee. Everything was impeccable, even the re-fillable coffee!. I also tasted a friend's carrot muffin, it was perfectly baked--crispy top with tender insides. Highly recommended!
(5)
Tara N.

Food was excellent!!! Fresh and flavourful. Had the French omelet: fines herbes. Eggs were made to perfection. Flavours were magical. My earl grey was loose leaf and very tasty! They did not have organic milk nor did they have gluten free options for the bread. The potatoes were breaded so I didn't have those either. Had a basic lettuce salad with lemon juice and a hint of olive oil. Delicious: yes. Service was not the most authentic. Server was rushed and a little out of it. Didn't really see much service. The vibe was non-descriptive. There was a stale odour in the building which didn't make the vibe as appetizing. Overall: blah
(3)
Mateo G.

Stopped by while walking around downtown. The food was very tasty. I had the farmer's omelette and my friend had the redwood hill omelette. Both delicious. The options for sides were potatoes, green salad, wheat bread, baguette, and ginger mandarins muffin. We had the muffin, baguette and the salad. They have delicious organic ketchup and mixed berry jam. It's a bit overpriced, but I would definitely go back.
(4)
Julie G.

Waited quite awhile for a seat because people would sign in, leave and 5 minutes after their name was called and they were checked off as a no show, the hostess would seat them. Excellent food but the service was a little slow. Not as noisy as I thought it would be. Their omelettes are large enough to share and they have killer jam for your toast. I might look for another possible diner next trip just because of the time issues.
(4)
Doris G.

Busy place but had fairly quick service. Good was very fresh tasting and great flavors, I ordered the special grilled chicken with provolone cheese, garlic and tomato on ciabatta bread. My husband had the grilled ham and cheese on a ciabatta roll, he said it was very tasty
(4)
Dario S.

This was actually only our second choice since we couldn't get a table in time to avoid Sunday morning starvation. Here we had to wait 7-10 minutes and got a table for two. The menu is not too big and offers a nice selection. I took the cauliflower menu with an egg. It was delicious. The only thing which bothered me was the cilantro. ( Ihatecilantro.com ) Nice place which seems to be popular in Portland.
(4)
Pamela S.

Came on a Sunday morning for brunch and they were packed, but we actually didn't have to wait too long - we were able to have some coffee and sit at a table outside. Would have been a leisurely wait if there weren't a guy at the corner in front of us shouting about Edward Snowden and trying to hand out some literature. I got some type of benedict with biscuits and gravy. It was a huge portion as expected. Noticed they had some unique options on the menu, such as oyster hash and a clam omelette. Bijou focuses on sourcing and serving local ingredients. Excellent service, super friendly. Adorable brunch spot, I definitely recommend.
(4)
Heber S.

Food amazing. I can't lie about that. Crowded long wait list and hostess made the call and let some dipsh*ts who missed their call about 15 people back who left and came back in ahead of us and the 20 other people waiting. Hostess took a tip as these tw*ts waxed her. Then where does she take them? A great big table for 4. There was a party of 4 waiting too. I wasn't the only one about to flip out. The couple next to us were too. I hope the food calmed them down as it did for me. Everything else went satisfactory. Food is amazing.
(3)
Samantha H.

I was in Portland with my parents for a few days and we stumbled upon this place as we were looking for a place to eat after a long flight. The food was amazing! Everything tasted fresh and well prepared. I loved their hash. We loved it so much that we went back a second time during a trip. I highly recommend this place for brunch or lunch.
(5)
Kris B.

Don't let the line out the door deter you. Find your way inside, and write your name and party size down on the sign in sheet. Once seated, take a look around at the bright yellow walls, ceilings and rafters - cloudy or sunshine, it just seems brighter in here. This was our first time and we went straight for the oyster dishes, the omelette and the salad. If you dine with two, have an entree with a baguette and one with the daily muffin. The plump fried oysters were crispy on the outside, sweet and creamy on the inside. Included in the omelette were thick chunks of bacon and sautÃ©ed onions. I really appreciated the way the omelette was prepared, not over done and slightly runny in the middle. The side salad was like lightly dressed with oil and vinegar, nicely cutting the richness of the eggs and shellfish. Bring a Visa or cash as they do not take American Express.
(5)
Sherri P.

Their fresh orange juice is the best I ever had. The wait for the table was worth the experience.
(5)
Tim R.

Was here for brunch with a large group. They did a superb job with the customer service. Good brunch selection had me going with the Chorizo Hash, tasty and filling. Would come back and try other dishes.
(4)
Laura M.

YUM!! Excellent brunch place! Super cute. Friendly service. We both ordered a french style omelette. I had the mushroom and cheddar omelette, it was absolutely delicious. My boyfriend had the Redwood Hill omelette (smoked goat cheddar, bacon and green onions). He enjoyed his but tried mine and wished he had got that one too, it was just so good. Freshly squeezed OJ, fresh baguette, apricot jam, savory potatoes, organic ketchup... it was great! Go!
(5)
Christopher B.

Keep Portland weird. This is the definition of this place. The first thing we were asked as we were greeted was whether we watched the State of the Union. I was the only one at the table and she looked at everyone else and told them they should be deported and walked away. Now that's a welcome if I've ever seen one! Our waitress oozed with personality. The food wasn't too far behind. I didn't know what a French crepe was. I'm still not completely sure. What I do know is that it's the best thing I've ever had. No other crepe will come close. I went with the Oyster because of all your yelpers. No regrets. The baguettes with homemade preserves were a home run for me. I could have eaten 20 of them! The coffee was good too. The whole experience from start to finish was second to none. Loved loved this place!
(5)
Jessica S.

This place has the best beet and sweet potato salad. Yum! I love trying new places in between my work meetings. The environment was nice, and quiet enough that I could get some work done while eating. The service was very attentive.
(5)
Rip M.

Amazing food, beautiful restaurant. I would recommend trying the bacon wrapped eggs, they were the best meal at the table by a long stride. The menu description did not do it any justice. Would highly recommend to friends and family looking for a good breakfast and brunch cafe in Oregon
(5)
peabody j.

A Portland Classic. Always good service, not overly long a wait, and fresh, fresh, properly cooked breakfast. I've always adored their fresh muffins and seasonal compotes, and they have the best proper french omelettes in town. I'm a sucker for any place that has seasonal veggies incorporated into a changing menu - which they do for omelettes and hashes. I also love a great simple, fresh green salad with micro-greens and a light vinaigrette with herbs. A proper side salad with breakfast food is awesome, and they nail it. They have servers that have worked there for years and years and years, it feels like a real Cafe with known long-time waitresses like you might find in a bigger city like New York. One of the best simple breakfast places in town. Simple, fresh food, seasonal ingredients and professional service. Great fresh squeezed juices as well.
(5)
Joel D.

I had the oyster omelette with potatoes and it was near perfection. The caramelized onions it it were wonderful and worked well with the brininess of the oysters. I'm not sure that the bacon was needed as it didn't really add anything. All in all, it was a great meal. The staff was friendly and attentive. The place was comfortable and clean. And the noise level was pleasant. Definitely worth a repeat.
(5)
Liz K.

The oyster omelette with a side of potatoes and a house made biscuit with strawberry preserves is HEAVEN ON EARTH. The mimosa is fresh and potent... The service is great... The coffee is spot on... This place is a new favorite for every visit to Portland.
(5)
Emily S.

Had an amazing Sunday Brunch here during our trip to Portland. I ordered the mushroom and cheddar omelette. It was so fluffy and amazing, I could have eaten two. Sadly they were out of baguettes so I had to go with wheat toast alongside it, their homemade jam was to die for. The potatoes served with it were absolutely delicious as well. We had to wait a little bit, but the servers were very nice and the food was delicious!
(4)
Marie D.

Our waitress was an interesting lady which was a pretty good intro to Portland as a whole LOL. Restaurant is cute and the food was really good. I had the biscuits and jam with a kale, cauliflower omelette thing, both of which were excellent.
(4)
Maddie N.

Delish! Service was on the slow side, but the food did make up for it all. Great atmosphere, nice place for brunch any day of the week. I got the zucchini omelet & it was perfect. Their special was a caprese style peach and beet salad that my mom ordered and it wasn't what she expected, but she was blown away by the deliciousness of it. We were not disappointed.
(4)
Michael S.

The first time I visited the Bijou Cafe, I thought it was great. What's truly delightful is that 32 years later, it's even better: a top choice for breakfast or lunch in Portland. Yes, I'm well aware of the fact that there's a lot of great food in Portland. I did my best to sample as much of it as I could during a recent six-day visit. But the Bijou is so good that I had breakfast there five days and after I dragged two colleagues with me, they joined me for the rest of their time in Portland. Here are two examples of just how good the Bijou is. I travel extensively and this is the only place I've visited in the past year that served my eggs soft-scrambled, the way I asked for them. [That includes really expensive restaurants.] And between the three of us, my colleagues and I ate ten omelettes over the course of our visits; none of them was any less than perfectly cooked, with a creamy interior and not a spot of brown on the exterior. The point is that The Bijou's food is really good and they wouldn't have to pay attention to such details, but they do anyway. What's even more impressive is that this extraordinary quality comes at an extremely reasonable price. So what did we like? There are so many good choices on the menu, it's hard to know where to begin. But how about with these dishes: Bacon and oyster omelettes, with sautÃ©ed onions and an ever-so-slight bite (from cayenne in the oyster breading, I figure). A delectable, tender omelette, creamy on the inside, and filled with excellent gruyere, herbs, and a fistful of chanterelles (our waiter said: "Our forager has been bringing us basketsful of chanterelles this season"). A hash of cauliflower tossed with black olives, home fries, and feta and seasoned with harissa, topped with the afore-mentioned soft scrambled eggs. That one just might have been my favorite. Some of these dishes were accompanied by a small green salad of really fresh greens, dressed with a light vinaigrette. Accompaniments are also excellent. Fresh-squeezed orange juice clearly was: one day, it had a slightly tart, acidic bite; the next morning, it was a bit sweeter. Berry muffins one morning had just enough sugar in them to develop a slightly crunchy exterior, but not too much to be cloying. My colleagues enjoyed their (Illy) coffee [true confession: I'd had my caffeine fix at Stumptown, right next door). The room at the Bijou is light and airy--or it was on the days we were there, when the Portland weather was fairly sunny in the morning. And service is friendly and professional, but not overdone. And truly, that's in keeping with the food: first-class but delicious and approachable, with unexpected tastes that are very well balanced between bolder flavors and more nuanced ones. My first visit to the Bijou was in 1982 when friends took me there for breakfast. At the time, there were many abandoned buildings on Third Street and I clearly remember how the cafe's lights beckoned to us. I also remember how much I enjoyed the food then: I ate my first marionberry muffin at the Bijou. So it's with great delight that I returned and found that the cafe wasn't only in business--having survived the intervening years--but that it's in fact even better than it was in those days. That's no mean feat in an industry where it's very tempting for long-established restaurants to coast on their reputations and grow slowly worse every year until they suddenly close. So, congratulations to the owner and staff: and rest assured that when I'm in Portland, I'll be a regular. Bacon and oyster omelette, anyone?
(5)
Jean K.

Brunch is actually really hard to get right. I'm really particular. I don't go out to eat food I could easily cook at home. At 7:30am on Saturday there were 10 people waiting outside for this place to open. But by the time everyone got up hours later there was a short half hour wait for a table of 5 - just enough time to go to voodoo donuts next door. It took us a while to decide what to order. Our server was super nice. We even shared our don't with her. After ordering it took a really long time for the food to come out. Good thing we had those donuts to bible on for the next half hour. Finally we get for our food - farmers omelette, 2 cauliflower kale hashes, oyster hash and plain eggs/toast/salad/fruit. My oysters were big and plump, nicely fried. The parties were bland. Not browned up with crispy edges. Onions were also bland. Just limp and not caramelized. Ask the hash plates had this problem. My friend who got the omelette liked it. The eggs and toast were ok - only one piece of plain toast, kinda meagre. I don't think this is a good example of Portland's famous brunch scene.
(3)
Jennifer K.

Delish!! My family and I stumbled upon this cafe and oh my, it is absolutely AMAZING!!! I would totally go back here for another meal and I have even recommended it to a friend as well. A tad on the pricier side, but not too pricy, but it is worth every penny. My picky 8 year old even loved his food! I am also a picky eater and I was extremely happy with my food!! Wait staff was fun as well! Overall - go there and check it out yourself. You won't be sorry.
(5)
Natalie S.

Love the cappuccino! I also tried the almond biscotti. I got great service! The space is bright and quiet. I came in the middle of the day on a workday and there was plenty of room to sit, read a book, and work on my computer.
(5)
Jared M.

I was really excited for the roast beef Hash and it was just kinda meh. Everyone was very nice and even though they were busy I never felt rushed and my BF really liked his French toast and sausage.
(3)
Daniel S.

Had a late breakfast here two days in a row. Both days were exceptional. Good attentive service without being harrassing and the food was all extremely good. Good portions without being obnoxious and just the right amount of everything. We had gone down to Mother's to try that the second day, but the wait was 45 minutes and it was hot and stuffy in there. Bijou was about a 10 minute wait and it was comfortable and not nearly as loud and busy. I learned my lesson.
(5)
Lauren A.

Best french omelet Ive ever had. Green onion, cheese and think bacon! Organic ketchup for my potatoes?! Blueberry muffin melted in my mouth. It was right across the street from our hotel (Embass. Suites) and 100000000x better than Vodoo Donuts a block away. An amazing breakfast! Our waitress was an angel :)
(5)
Jon B.

Really enjoyed brunch here. Fantastic omlettes, local cheeses, unreal bloody Mary's great service!
(5)
Kayla D.

Honestly this is the best omelette I've ever had. The service was fantastic and the ambiance is lovely. I will definitely be back!
(5)
Bill E.

Hit up the Bijou for an after work brunch recently and in serious need of a cocktail. The place was busy but the bar was wide open so what the hell. I was pleasantly greeted by the staff and asked if I wanted something to drink. The Spanish Coffee has been my go to breakfast/brunch/dinner cocktail of choice for the last year or so. I should have taken a step back when the waitress asked me what was in it and started looking for the bartender's bible. A comment was made and I took it as a cue and pulled up a recipe on my phone. Meh.... The food was pretty damn good but the whole cocktail debacle overshadowed things. If you are going to have a bar, staff it!
(2)
Aeric E.

Very good breakfast fare and refreshing sparkling wine cocktails. They were open when are normal haunt was not on a holiday weekend. Bonus points for that. Grab a coffee at Stumptown and stand in line. It's worth the wait.
(4)
C B.

The wait here wasn't so bad on a Sunday morning. Unlike Mother's around the corner, we were able to get seated in a decent amount of time. Our waitress was a sweetheart and loved her humor! Loved how she emphasized what was local to Oregon as we were from out of town. We were a table of 4, two of us had the brioche french toast which was amazing and a large portion they could have split it. We also had the ham, biscuit, gravy and eggs which were super scrumptious. The last of us had sausage and eggs and cleaned his plate. Totally hit the spot for touring around Portland for the day!
(4)
Nicole C.

This restaurant is mediocre at best, and I will not be returning. The good: Our server was very friendly and helpful when his attention could be caught. He gave me his honest opinion about two dishes I was debating between, which I really appreciated. Additionally, we only had to wait about 10 minutes for a table for four people on a Saturday morning. The mediocre: The food. I ordered a chorizo hash, which was (thankfully) not nearly as spicy as I had anticipated. I'll admit that the potatoes were done well, but the dish, as a whole, was on the bland side. Serving sizes were generous, but I felt that the menu was a bit eclectic and restricted yet expensive for what it was. One person in the party ordered granola and yogurt, which ended up being over $12. She did say that it was the best granola she's ever had, but really?!?! $12 for granola and yogurt? The bad: Parking is a pain. We ended up parking quite far away. Also, service was extremely slow, and despite repeated attempts to flag our server down, he was simply not paying attention, possibly because the restaurant was understaffed. I was hoping to really like this place, but alas, I was disappointed. Portland is a city with fantastic breakfast and brunch options, and I'll be exploring those other restaurants.
(2)
Meghan C.

I've visited for breakfast several times, as its one of my favorite breakfast stops. With ingredients locally sourced, one days meal might include locally foraged mushrooms (especially chanterelles), or blackberries and poached pears. Their oyster hash, and variety of breakfast hashes are perfectly prepared and tasty. When I first visited many years ago, the chef refused substitutions for allergies, however they are now very accommodating.
(5)
Elaine P.

I hate, repeat, hate waiting in line to enter a restaurant. If there's a line, i will not go, and will find someplace else, otherwise I'll get very cranky very very fast. So read this review with that in mind. In this case, the hostess told us it would take 15 minutes, tops to get in. She claimed that a "mass exodus" was likely to occur soon. My friend wanted to stay, so what could I do? I was stuck there so I had to grin and bear it. The gross patrons would stretch around you to add their names to the "list" in the line. They would hover around you staring at "the list." There was a funny smell coming from somewhere, apparently food, which added to the displeasure of waiting. But I waited, and suddenly 15 minutes turned into 30. We were 4th in line, when the ditzy hostess announced that there were two seats available at the bar, and a very obnoxious couple, far below us on "the list", said "we'll take it!" It was so fast that by the time I protested, and explained that we were further up "the list" than they. The hostess responded with: "Well, what can I do now?" At that point I had enough and walked out and will never return.
(2)
Diana C.

The food is pretty good, but nothing exceptional. Our serve was nice, friendly, and helpful. She gave us recommendations on the menu and made sure we always had enough water/juice/coffee. We didn't have to wait longer than 5 minutes on a Sunday morning for a table and the food was relatively quick to come out. Overall the food was nothing special, I agree with a previous reviewer that their brioche french toast was nothing special (e.g. you can make it yourself at home) and they wouldn't let us do half and half like some other people were able to get. I just got the bacon and eggs and again it was okay, but nothing extraordinary. Their OJ is organic fresh squeezed though!
(3)
Greg S.

This is a fantastic place to eat. The service is stellar, the food is delicious. Found it on yelp and will return next time in Portland.
(5)
Dani K.

If you want awful service and mediocre food, this is your place. Trying to get a refill of coffee or water is almost impossible. I ordered the French toast, and it was the worst French toast I've ever had. It was literally just toast. It was super try and very bland. The people with me ordered an omelet and the pancakes with fried chicken. They said the food was subpar. And the killer is the food is super expensive. Avoid this place.
(1)
Anna F.

Had the mushroom cheddar omelette with potatoes and toast. The omelette was light fluffy and soft and the best way possible. Potatoes were very hearty without being greasy and they bring you local organic jam and ketchup in little jars to your table. The atmosphere is very light and open with lots of windows and mirrors and the service was great. Very satisfied!
(5)
Zoraida D.

Came here for breakfast because Mother's Bistro was closed and what a surprise! This place is awesome! Everything organic and home grown. Flavors were great service excellent and menu items unique.
(5)
Caroline Q.

Four of us recently tried Bijou CafÃ© on a rainy Saturday morning. We arrived at 8:45 AM right before the morning rush. Around 9:00/9:15 AM was when it really started to get busy. Everyone is seated in one big open room. I ordered the vegetable hash and it was fresh, flavorful, and was seasoned with harissa. I typically order egg whites, but that is not an option at the Bijou CafÃ©. However, the hash was still delicious with the over easy egg. Two others in our group ordered another hash and were very pleased with their order as well. The fourth person ordered the biscuits and gravy with eggs and thought the gravy complemented the biscuits quite well. With this group we tend to order an 'extra dish' or appetizer at restaurants we have not yet tried. We opted for the French toast as we had ready may positive reviews on Yelp. We ordered half brioche and half cinnamon and it was nothing special. It seemed a bit bland for my liking and the brioche was not as thick as I (or the others) would have liked. All in all, we had a wonderful time; however, per no egg white option and especially the French toast not being anything 'fancy' (ie different than what I make at home), I am giving the Bijou CafÃ© 4 stars. If I could give a half star, I would have put 3.5 stars/5 stars.
(4)
Matthew H.

Just had a really terrible experience with cauliflower and kale hash. The "over easy" eggs came in a less than "easy" state, easily 70% of the egg had no evidence of ever being exposed to heat, liquid whites running all over the food. When I asked for the eggs to be redone, the server tersely replied, "that's what an over easy egg looks like." No ma'am, no it doesn't. In addition to the terrible eggs and terrible service, the hash had two approximately six inch long hairs in it. And the pumpkin seed mole quesadilla isn't nearly as good as it was the last time I got it.
(2)
Eve K.

The omelette was excellent as was the fresh-squeezed red grapefruit juice. (They were out of OJ.) The pear salad was disappointing, with very little and bland mascarpone and the pears were not very sweet. The side potatoes were not bad, but kind of dry with not much going on there.
(3)
Paulla M.

How can one rate if one never gets served. Seated at 12:00 pm. left at 1:00 pm without so much as a piece of toast. Yes, the folks next to us that sat down at 12:30 were happily eating by 12:45. Note to manager: think about numbering the orders so they come out of the kitchen accordingly.
(1)
Laura J.

This was a fantastic little place in Portland across from the Embassy Suites Hotel downtown. I popped in for brunch everyday and everything I had was fantastic -- the fresh tomato and goat cheese french omelet, the burgers with tomato jam, and all the cocktails were fresh and interesting. I wish we had one of you in San Francisco!
(4)
Jessica S.

This is one of my go to places for lunch with my fave co-worker. What keeps me coming back? Actually the cornmeal pancakes. I am a sucker for pancakes and the Bijou's version has a sweet but not dessert sweet flavor. The chicken that comes with it is just ok but a good companion to the cakes. Throw some honey butter and jam on it, that's what makes it. Another go to is the tuna sandwich. I like a good sandwich that doesn't have that fishy I came from a can smell or taste to it. This delivers on that. The bread is thick enough to hold up to the juices from the tuna and even add a slight crunch to the texture. This place is so close to work, it's consistent, and they make me an Arnold palmer which is what brings me back. It can get crowded on the weekend, so you may have to wait, the staff is friendly, and it's pretty open inside. So the bottom line is I'll be back.
(4)
Michael C.

Overall, our brunch experience at Bijou Cafe was extremely disappointing. Their menu looked promising online, but neither of our dishes was very good at all. Moreover, we waited a while to be seated and then still longer to even be given water, let alone our meal itself. Then, once we were nearly finished our brunch, the single side pancake we'd ordered *finally* arrived; but, it was completely undercooked to the point that fully wet batter poured out when my wife cut into it. Oh, and the special "marionberry lemonade" was terrible. We actually saw the bartender make it by filling a glass with tap water, squeezing in a few lemon slices, and then adding a dollop of raspberry jam and stirring. There are much better brunch restaurants in Portland. Not only was the food bad and the wait long, but the atmosphere overall was rather low-end given similarly-priced brunch spots only a few minutes away. Our experience might have been a fluke, but I don't see us going back.
(2)
Sarah G.

Hostess said wait was 10 minutes, we waited to be seated for about 30 minutes. Ordered our food and waited for another 30 minutes to only receive drinks. Started seeing people who sat down right before us paying their bills and people who sat down after us eating. We got up and left. Hostess gave us some excuse that tickets don't always go in in order and our server said we could stay and eat on them. At that point it wasn't even worth it. What a shame to leave Portlands breakfast scene this way. I'd highly recommend Broders NÃ¶rd off Albina and Mississippi yellow line or The Original off 6th and Oak. Mothers also looked good but the wait was an 45-1hr.
(1)
Alex B.

This is a place for delicate palettes. #1 gripe = bland potatoes not cooked to crispiness. Throw some rosemary or garlic salt on there... they're potatoes! My omelette was skimpy on the goat cheddar and the fancy bacon was not salty enough. I try not to get too subjective but anytime I've had a french omelette the regular goat cheese beat this goat cheddar they use hands down. Plenty of green onions. Oh, and I'm usually not a fan of homemade ketchup but theirs was crazy good, especially on the omelette. It saved the day and pushed me from 3ish to 4 stars. Coffee was excellent.
(4)
Olia S.

The food was really fresh and really flavored, healthy yummy breakfast.. But it took a while to get our checks unfortunately.
(4)
Double D.

Significantly overpriced food. Very rude waitstaff and snobby rude owner named Eve. I will not be coming back and I suggest you visit Mothers bistro a few blocks away, much more bang for your buck and much better service. This business is operating in the Ol times where speed and friendly service has no precedence. There were also flys everywhere inside and during my meal a female cook came and kissed another female having lunch next to me. Very awkward, not classy and terrible experience altogether. I will never return here or suggest this place
(1)
Joanna F.

Bustling, cute breakfast place. The hostess was nowhere to be found, so we had to figure out ourselves that we had to write our name on a list. We waited about 20 minutes and then got a nice window seat. I got the kale and cauliflower hash and my husband got the chorizo hash. Both were great, but didn't blow me away. I would come back to try something else.
(4)
shar d.

really good breakfast food. i didn't like it as much as mother's but i think it's b/c i'm partial to biscuits and gravy . . . . a little pricey for breakfast but the ingredients are defintely fresh and delicious. had the roast beef hash which was really flavorful. also tried some of the chicken enchiladas which was really good. all in all good breakfast joint. my mimosa was filled to the brim in a nice big cup for you drink in the morning fans.
(4)
Erin C.

Came here after seeing all the great Yelp reviews and wanted a real breakfast on my last day in Portland. I really liked how laid back and simple this restaurant is. I sat at the counter and had really attentive service by all of the waitresses that came by. The menu is full of local and organic items, and everything looked delicious. I wound up with the wild mushroom and cheddar omelet. The omelet was okay, but what I really loved was the jam that came with my toast. Not sure what kind it was, but it tasted so fresh! The potatoes were great too. Would definitely come back here again next time I'm in town!
(4)
Tabitha R.

A girlfriend of mine raved about this place - so perhaps my expectations were too high going into it. Bijou was good -- not great. The atmosphere is comfortable and we went late enough in the day that we missed the crowds and were seated right away. Our waiter was nice and had a good sense of humor (always a bonus). The food was ok ... not wonderful ... not very memorable. Had there been a long wait I think I'd have been most disappointed. And parking is kind of a hassle. I would try this place again ...
(4)
Maryam M.

it was ok, My omelet was bland and filled with potatos and not much else. Ok at best.
(3)
Dr B.

I'm in the Bijou fan club, too. This place uses good quality ingredients to create good food. The one thing I've learned, though, is I don't want to be here on the chef's day off. If I don't see a bald dome through the window, I'm moving on, as his kitchen staff botches something on my plate every time he's not around. Usually it's the eggs, or they'll overpower a sandwich with massive amounts of strong onions. But when the chef is in the kitchen, everything is perfectly wonderful.
(5)
VeryBerry F.

I take trips to the city of roses JUST so I can eat here. It's another restaurant where you see the same ffriendly faces, even after 15-20 years... definitely worth the wait (1 hour sometimes!)...the steak hash is consistantly scrumtious and the coffee is delightful. Try the buckwheat waffles and yogurt with fruit. I wish they would bring back the snapper hash. I'm hungry - I'm off to Expedia/Alaska Airlines/Southwest to book a ticket - It's time to eat! *Side note, I miss the drawings from customer that they used to put up on the wall near the host stand...that was from years ago...but I loved seeing my work on it.
(5)
Michelle H.

Mediocre. I believed all the hype. I waited the 40+ minutes for a table. I was genuinely excited. The decor was plain, the service was okay, the water was kind of warm, and the food was just...plain? I think plain is a good word. I expected to be wow'd. I sadly wasn't. It's not worth the wait for me, so I won't be back.
(2)
Raymond B.

Gotta try the Bijou Burger. And the breakfasts are amazing!
(5)
Art V. B.

Breakfast here is very good, I especially like the oatmeal with fresh berries. Service is inconsistent, depending on the mood of your server. Your server could be either very nice and cheerful or bored and grumpy. But don't take them too seriously and enjoy your breakfast, it's worth it.
(4)
Dale H.

Roast Beef Hash, Kapow!!!! Great place!!! Will come back to Portland for this alone!
(4)
Denzel W.

This is a small cafe. My partner and I arrived around 7:00 PM. The place was full so we took a table in the waiting area. The manager and one waitress handled the entire crowd. The ambiance with the jazz ensemble was nice. The menu was severely limited. I had a pastrami sandwich. My partner had a salad. The bread on the sandwich was burned and there was little sauerkraut or sauce. The potato salad was bland. The salad was mediocre...dressing was oily. The blue cheese was present even after it was requested to not be on the salad. The ambience was great, service slow/overwhelmed, menu more for lunch than dinner.
(3)
Adam L.

Solid, a bit touristy, and a bit pricey...
(3)
Randy K.

the morning after the Portland marathon I was famished and needed a big, hearty, delicious breakfast. Bijou's was recommended by the Marriott City Center concierge and was a short 5 minute walk. Got their and it was a 15 minute wait but the moment you walk in you know you are in for a treat. I ordered a roast beef hash with two eggs over-easy, fresh OJ, and shared two buckwheat pancakes with my friend. Service was quick and friendly and the prices were about $10-$15 a person. Definitely go back. The neighborhood isn't the best place to go for a walk as to the north is a bunch of adult video stores which is somewhat random.
(5)
T K.

Great breakfast spot -- went on a weekday, and it was quite crowded, but no waiting. Service was prompt. I had the roast beef hash -- with two eggs over easy. Eggs were prepared perfectly, still runny yolks -- just the way that i like them. The has itself was a good portion of meat, potatoes and onions. Very tasty. My dining companion ordered two eggs over easy with bacon, hashbrowns, and a special toast (can't remember what it was called) -- that tasted like croissant bread with a hint of anise and orange. It was outstanding! Definitely would visit again.
(4)
Aisha I.

We went twice while visiting Portland. The omellettes are incredible and I'm sad now because no other omellete will ever be the same! The whole wheat french toast was just average but I'm not sure if its the fault of the restaurant or the fact that whole wheat bread does not a good french toast make. BUT what sealed the deal and makes me love Bijou forevermore is there oatmeal pancakes. BEST pancakes ever. I am craving them as we speak. If you go to Bijou make sure to try their pancakes. I heard the buckwheat ones aren't as good, but the oatmeal? TO DIE FOR!
(5)
Liem L.

fun place and voodoo donuts are just around the corner.
(4)
Rick J.

Not so good and not so much fun. However it was open on Sunday morning which was nice. Cappuccino was the best part but the food and ambiance were the worst. Very boring and many other choices like Mothers or Morningstar. Kind of nerdy.
(2)
julie h.

this is about as good as breakfast gets. several things on the menu sounded great: roast beef hash, roasted vegetable omelet, and the pumpkin seed mole quesadilla but i went with the house made sausage and eggs. the eggs were scrambled perfectly- light and delicious. the sausage was good but not quite as mind-blowing as i'd hoped. the whole wheat toast was flavorful and somehow unique. but what i really remember was the choice of a salad or potatoes with your eggs. i have never had a salad with breakfast, nor can i recall seeing it on a menu. but i decided to go for it and i am so glad i did. it was incredibly simple: greens, very sparingly dressed but it was the perfect accompaniment to the eggs. and i was just so surprised that i liked it so much. i feel inspired to have small salads with my eggs at home now. also, the service was great and my waitress was really nice. can't wait to go back!
(4)
Mike D.

Back to Bijou this morning, no wait and a very nice waitress. Tried the Cinnamon French Toast - pretty good and my wife tried an omelet with a couple of changes - yes, they add and substitute, nice. The food came quickly and was hot. Coffee was good. Nice atmosphere here and not too spendy. Bijou is one of those places that continually puts out quality food.
(4)
Sabrina H.

Not a fan. Nothing like paying $10.25 for an omelet that only had cheese, onions and potatoes in it and not having much flavor. The side potatoes were also cold because our waitress was a little spacey and left the food sitting for 10 minutes waiting to be served. It was an awfully busy plaec as well so we had to wait for a table for 2 for over 40 minutes. Granted the restaurant is awfully small. The atmosphere leaves something to be desired as well, it is just a very plain place.
(2)
C B.

Food was good but service was horrible. Sat down and our waiter was very rude when i asked how she was doing. She replied "my shift is almost over". Guessing she was trying to tell us to hurry up. Never checked in on us as we waited an absurd amount of time for 2 sandwiches. She gave us the bill with our food - what is this, Red Robin? Our bill was $18 so I gave her $25 and waited for change so that I could leave her more than a $2 tip. She never came back with change, she cleared our table and started to clean up for closing and we continued to wait for her to come back with our change. She never returned. Sorry lady, your horrible service was not worthy of a 40% tip. Needless to say, I will not be returning because of the horrible service and straight up rude waitress.
(1)
Kelli H.

aaaaaaaammmmmaazzziiinnngggg buttermilk pancakes. They had such a good flavor and something I've never tasted in pancakes. French toast was good but not as good as the pancakes. I loved their marionberry syrup. The orange juice was all good and tasted fresh squeezed. Only let down was the sausage. It was the weirdest tasting sausage ever! That wouldn't stop me from going back though. I'd definitely recommend it again.
(4)
K F.

Reasonable prices, tasty food, OK atmosphere. The Farmers omelet was delicious but even better smothered in their homemade salsa!
(3)
Lynda k.

I was very satisfied with the food, service and location! We had the spicy pumpkin seed mole with chicken and it was AMAZING!!! My boyfriend and I are foodies and we couldn't get over how good it was! I had the special omelette for the day and I substited in chanterelle mushrooms...ummm it was delicious! I must mention the bacon! Some of the nicest, thickest bacon i've had... DELICIOUS! The coffee at bijous is yummy!!! Saw others order the french toast...If you have a sweet tooth your mouth will water just from seeing the plate. I will most definitely go back next time and try it. I can almost guarantee theres a line on weekends, but we were fortunate enough to go on a tuesday morning. The place is a bit small and can get crowded, but the food is a must!
(5)
Jeremy W.

Yum yum yum. The eggs are always so light and carefree(not sure how they do it but maybe they use water vs milk when cooking?) and seem to melt in your mouth. The potatoes have a crispy exterior but a soft inside--wonderfully seasoned. I haven't tried anything but their omelettes but everyone else's meals (french toast, fruit, coffee, etc) has been superb as well. A definite feel good place.
(5)
Molly C.

I thought what we ordered was good. I didn't think what we ordered was completely worth the bill. But it's bright and cheery and the service was great. I had the special omelette of the day (white cheddar, smoked ham and spinach) and my fiance and his friend each ordered the chicken-apple-sausage hash which they weren't raving about but I thought was really good. The menu was large, the specials all sounded good and it's super cheery inside.
(4)
Nickole C.

I have never been disappointed a Bijou....the food is local organic for the most part, really fresh and really delicious. I have eaten a variety of breakfast here and being a big breakfast lover I have only done breakfast....they serve it all day!!! I have done Bijou with groups of 2-4 and 9 they accommodated it all though there was a 45 min wait for the group of nine.
(5)
Chris S.

Can get busy....love the breakfast here. They can be a little snooty but the food usually makes up for it. The oyster omelet is wonderful...amazing. Very solid.
(4)
Mimi S.

Pumpkin Tomatilla spread, Cave Aged Cheddar Quesadillas. Enough said. And they even shared the recipe with me since I loved my quesadilla so much. Everything is either: Locally produced Sustainably Harvested Organic Free Range -or- Heirloom The food is terrific and the feel of the joint is warm and cozy. I like. I like.
(5)
Rachael J.

This was the first Portland breakfast I ever experienced but I still remember it as one of the best. Expect a wait on the weekends, but know that it is always worth it. Most of the tables are small but there is an old fashioned counter to dine at as well. The menus always has lots of fresh and local ingredients and suits my healthy lifestyle. I think I need to make a trip here again soon!
(5)
Abby M.

It was a historic time, the day after Halloween. I had just retired my Princess Leia costume, and was desperately in need of some coffee and eggs. Now, you can get those most anywhere. But Bijou cafe also provides you with homemade muffins, house made organic Ketchup and a little bit of that je ne sais qois.
(5)
Paulie H.

Overrated, yes. Food quality, o.k. Service, not really! We were staying in the downtown area and were looking for a good breakfast place. After reading all the great reviews about this place we ventured in. We sat at the bar and got really poor service. I had to ask the server 3 times to fill my coffee. Food was not bad but it didn't excite either me or my husband. I had an omelet and my husband had lamb sausage hash. The best part of my meal was the blueberry cornmeal muffin. I would not recommend as there are so many other breakfast places in the area.
(3)
Liz S.

after reading dozens of recommendations to eat at bijou, i had to go. and, i mean...when else do you get to eat an oyster omelette and oyster hash for lunch? if you really hate the flavor of oyster, don't get the oyster dishes (obvious); because though the oyster flavor isn't overpowering, it is distinct. i loved it, but that's me. i had the omelette with only 2 eggs, since it comes with 3 (for those who think and ask about those things). the generous bacon chunks coupled with caramelized onions was a flavorful blend of savory and mildly sweet...which magically created a dimensional experience of bliss inside my mouth. Mmmm. other small highlights to look out for: -the organic chunky ketchup was surprisingly delicious and added yet another great layer to the omlette. -the latte is strong, and the foam has the perfect consistency. side recommendations: get the omlette with greens instead of potatoes for a more rounded meal.
(4)
Debbie W.

A terrific breakfast - enormous servings with farm-fresh ingredients. The French toast with lingonberry syrup was wonderful. Excellent coffee, beautifully poached eggs. Only downside - would not heat the syrup for pancakes. Still, would happily go back.
(4)
Anne S.

Sigh. I debated on why I would even write another review for a place that's already received 56 of them...but, I decided that the french toast I had there last week was deserving of its own review. I went here for a lunch meeting for work last week and given that the grey concrete days are starting to settle in around Portland, I wanted breakfast for lunch. Kudos to the Bijou for even offering breakfast at lunch! I ordered the brioche french toast (bread courtesy of the Pearl Bakery) and it was AMAZING. I really like french toast but so often it leaves something to be desired--the bread is too dry or it's too soggy or something that just doesn't work for me, where french toast is concerned. However, THIS french toast was perfect. A little crispy on the outside but nice and moist and soft on the inside. Problem was, I couldn't finish it--which is unheard of for me (I'm a girl who finishes my plate). Because they used brioche for the bread, it was super rich...add about a 1/4 cup of butter and some syrup and I stopped 2 slices shy of finishing. Regardless, I've been thinking about this french toast since I last week. Aside from the kick-ass french toast, the coffee was tasty (not like the crazy vacuum-packed stuff so many restaurants use but something that you'd find in an actual coffee shop) and the service was as good as it gets.
(4)
Seamus M.

Almost a reason to visit Portland in itself. I could build a nice day with going to the Bijou for breakfast, walking up to Powell's and checking out the books, then walk into the Pearl to look at the art galleries, have lunch, go home take a nap and then head out to dinner... One of the positive differences between doing business in Portland as compared to San Francisco is the business breakfast. In Portland this is common and I am a big supporter of getting my meetings over with and then having the day to work or if needed travel. Anyway, I am big fan of the Bijou's oatmeal, the give you toasted hazelnuts to put on top, just too good. The omletes are out of this world and they actually fry an easy egg for you. This might be the only place outside of France that understands what "over easy" actual means...
(5)
Courtney D.

Tasty burger and shake at this downtown cafe I know this is touted as a great place for breakfast, but I'm going to give it kudos for their killer burger and milkshake. Definitely try their Bijou Burger. It's made with that tasty Painted Hills beef, but the real treat is the homemade jalapeno relish they add on top. It's sweet but with a kick and so darn good! Definitely leave some room, though, for one of their famous milkshakes. Don't let the higher than average price discourage you -- this creamy treat is worth every penny. Tip: If you love a VERY garlicky and lemony Caesar salad, definitely order one here.
(4)
Gina P.

Today, I dined at the Bijou, one of my favorite Portland spots. My husband has been frequenting this restaraunt since 1981. The original wait staff made us feel good and treated us well, especially because they all remembered us when we came in. The Bijou's notoriety included their exceptional etiquette that we regard with high standards in service and food quality when it comes to eating establishments. I couldn't help but notice that the quality of service from the Bijou's current wait staff has gone downward. My husband & I arrived about 1:45 pm, 15 minutes before closing time. Usually, we are generously welcomed in to dine, even if we had arrived closer to 2 pm. The former wait staff were so friendly and pleasant. Today, the waiter who served us was not concerned with his interaction with us, instead he went on with his closing responsibilities and getting the tables cleared. When we first sat down, he did not greet us, he just placed the napkin and silverware down on the table. He rushed through notifying us of their food specials while maintaining a subtle condescending demeanor in his voice. He failed to mention that they were out of baguette so we were surprised to see whole wheat toast when the food arrived. He did not check up on us at all to see if we needed anything else, nor did he ask us how the meal was when taking our plates away at the end of eating. Also, the food portions were smaller than normal for the price. He was, however, over ecstatic when he spotted his ex-husband outside walking by and hurried out to invite him to sit at the bar where he fully engaged all his attention to this man. I would rather support the surrounding food carts than spend a girthy $9.00 on a diminished portion of pork sausage, eggs, salad & toast and a lack of customer service. Overall, this has been the most appalling eating experience we've had at the Bijou.
(2)
Ashley C.

Excellent service. Charming atmosphere. Food was good. I stuck with traditional bacon and eggs, and my boyfriend got the Tofu Scramble... Delicious!
(3)
Brandi M.

Called, in most publications, a 'long-standing local establishment,' we were excited to give it a try. In short, this place was just ok. Pro's: central downtown location, hopping morning vibe, great syrups and nice server. Con's: Condescending/rude host, VERY mediocre food for the price. My husband and I shared bland, poorly cooked/mushy French Toast & eggs. Booooring muffin. In a city with so many fantastic breakfast/brunch options, we'll probably never go here again unless everything else is closed and we have no eggs & flour in the fridge.
(2)
James R.

i was 2/2 on my brunches in portland. had the goat chedder french omelette - was extremely well done. and then these details made me love this place: * came in with a cup of stumptown coffee and they didn't give me any trouble about it (some places get annoyed because they, too, serve coffe) * their ketchup was potentially homemade and really good - appreciated the attention to detail * made me a custom drink (grapefruit + champagne) * my muffin was cold, and they said they didn't have a way to heat it, but that some new ones had just come out of the oven and they were happy to give me a new one - how awesome is that? thanks, bijou
(5)
A R.

O my god -- I love this place! We were looking for a good place to eat breakfast and this cool Portland family gave us some confusing and interesting directions that involved looking for a big cowboy sign that's a couple blocks away from it. ...but we found it! and we had the best breakfast!! We had lunch there today and we're getting up early to have breakfast before flying home tomorrow. YUM!!!!!
(5)
Jodi H.

My favorite breakfast place in Portland and I've tried alot of them! Totally Portland - my favorite is the farmers omelet with a side of the gabasier (sp?) bread (instead of toast or muffin). Especially good if you can get in right around when they open so you don't have to wait for a table since its very popular. Love this place!
(5)
Alisdair M.

I went for breakfast with a big group on a weekday and was pleased to be seated right away. The food was REALLY good. I had a delicious omelet with smoked cheddar and bacon. I also had some of the pancakes, which were on special with a berry compote and they were also great. Prices are higher than what you might expect for omelets and pancakes, but it is worth the money. The atmosphere is nice although the decor seems kind of a work in progress. The waiters seemed understandably rushed.
(4)
Lisa W.

Gotta say, I'm a bit disappointed. Could it have been that my scrambled eggs were RUNNY? Or that the potatoes were flavorless and oil soaked to the point of yellowness? Or that the restaurant doesn't take American Express? Yes.
(2)
Rick I.

Had breakfast here and YES it was good, and I would totally come back. Luckily we went on a weekday since we were on vacation, so we didn't have to wait for table. We has the mushroom hash and the french toast. Both delicious! The waiter also gave us some tips on Brewerys to visit! Highly recommend this place.
(4)
Lisa E.

BiJou = FABULOUS!!!!!!! Stumbled into this place at 1:30 pm looking for something fabulous (preferrably breakfast). The place was packed but we found a spot at the counter. The staff was super friendly which is always significant to my dining pleasure. And the food????.................It was superb! The top special was an artichoke heart omelet with orange bell peppers, Feta cheese, mushrooms and kale......I was in heaven. By 1:30 all of the sticky buns were gone sooooooo, that was the only downfall. Next time. Anyway, kudos to BiJou!!
(5)
Corwin M.

It has a French name, so minuscule portions, right? No, but I can't say I was overly enthused by the size of my omelet and side serving of potatoes. Also, since I know which county I'm dining in, I knew that I wasn't going to get three or four more courses. It's the most upscale place I've had breakfast at downtown, being that I usually have booze for breakfast, but I would have liked a little more food, please; at least more potatoes, since those are cheap enough! However, the omelet was an excellent combination of goat cheese and local mushrooms with spinach. And, the service was very good and the wait not at all long despite it being weekend brunch rush. Impress a girl with how culinaryily cosmopolitan you are here, but then head down to the Ash Street for a real meal of Jack and Coke for $3 a shot!
(4)
Branden T.

My second favorite breakfast place in the city....we had a great breakfast during the snow storm of Dec 08. The food is a high quality, the coffee is tasty, and they deliver a strong basic breakfast.
(4)
Sara W.

I had one of the best omelets ever here and was super impressed with the ingredients (love the goat cheese cheddar). The cafe is cute and charming and the staff is very friendly.
(4)
Larry E.

This is a must b'fast stop for me when visiting from Seattle. It was probably my 20th time here and met my expectations. Usually have the buckwheat pancakes or oatmeal, both of which are always great. The artwork is always interesting, service always efficient and friendly. And it's always packed (at b'fast anyway).
(5)
Erika B.

I had the oatmeal pancakes and they were pretty good tastewise, although they did leave a greasy feel to my palate. My husband had the buckwheat pancakes which were steaming hot and fluffy but were completely absent of any flavor. The atmosphere was cozy and clean. The service was very friendly and unrushed. Probably won't go back though.
(3)
ruth a.

I hesitate to add to the amount of glowing reviews just because I don't want this place to get any more popular then it is. However once past my momentary selfishness I have to say that if this were my last morning on earth I would have to give serious thought to having breakfast here. The wait staff are that perfect blend of knowing when to approach and suggest without hovering or appearing pushy. The omelets are soft and perfectly cooked, all vegetables fresh and they have the best homemade pork patty sausage perfectly seasoned. My friend and I wanted to try as many things as possible so we split a buckwheat pancake, brought with both maple and marionberry syrup and the Greek omelet and the salmon hash. Both dishes were so good we wanted to finish everything but our eyes were bigger then our stomachs. You are given large portions, there is also a choice of baguette, muffin, toasted orange anise bread or wholewheat. The coffee is fresh, the mimosas fresh squeezed and you are never hurried or given the sense they would like to turn the table. It is a nice corner building location with large windows in the front to observe the street scene and you may sit at the counter or have table service. I would say if your visiting Portland don't bother going anywhere else for breakfast.
(4)
squirrel l.

We came here when we couldn't get into Mother's. It wasn't very crowded and the service was very good. The menu, however, is rather uninteresting for the most part. I had brioche French toast, which was really bland and unexciting. The husband had a hash from the specials with summer squash and a few eggs. His food was pretty yummy, but mine was really disappointing.
(3)
Allison D.

Bijou is one of my favorite spots for brunch. Friendly services, prompt refills, soft and delicate omlettes (goat cheese and white cheddar are the best), and other nice breakfast/lunch menu items make me come back at least a couple times a month. I also like bringing my friends who's visiting Portland here for brunch. There is usually a long wait on Saturday and Sunday mornings, though, but you can always grab a coffee from Stumptown next door while you wait... I think Bijou allows Stumptown coffee in the restaurant if you don't finish it before entering the restaurant.
(4)
Lynn K.

We just got back from the Bijou. The place was very crowded and we waited for almost 35 minutes. The omelettes were noteworthy being that they were very fluffy and not overdone. We got the Farmer's omelette which had lots of onions and bacon in it. The roast beef hash was OK, but the meat lacked flavor and was not salted enough. The crimini mushroom hash had a nice cumin flavor, but lacked mushrooms. I'd say go for the omelettes and french toast, but not the hash. Food: 3 stars Service: 3 stars Ambiance: 3 stars
(3)
C Y.

Our hotel recommended this place for breakfast. Our party of 4 are all non-Portlanders. All of us really enjoyed our visit here. Unique items, (Oyster hash, roast beef hash) special ingredients (fiddleheads, organic syrup and ketchup) great personable service made for a very nice breakfast experience. I can understand why it's such a well reviewed place in Portland.
(4)
A. B.

really solid brunch place with local & sustainable ingredients...great place to grab a bite after a visit to stumptown next door.
(4)
Jones T.

Stopped by here for breakfast during our trip from LA to Seattle. I really enjoyed the decor and atmosphere inside. Great service and staff. Food was fair prices. As for the taste? The omelette was pretty good, but my god, the muffin was one of the best muffins I have ever had. Seriously. I wish I could just order the muffins.
(4)
Sara G.

Bijou Cafe was a bright, cheery spot for breakfast on a dreary Sunday morning. Our omelettes were tasty, the potatoes crispy and well-seasoned, and the strawberry jam delicious. It is nice that you can choose a housemade muffin along with your omelette if you like. Service was prompt and friendly. In short, our meal was perfectly nice but not very memorable. I wouldn't object to going back, but wouldn't go out of my way- especially since it is just outside of a not-very-nice neighborhood.
(3)
Michelle T.

So we went here with great expectations...we were sad. It wasn't really that the food was bad, but I'd say the service was definitely sub-par. Our waitress was all too chatty and tried to interject comments into our meal. They weren't exactly rude comments, but I just don't want to be bothered while I'm eating, and I'm talking to my family, not you. My husband ordered an italian soda....he said, "Italian soda has cream in it?" And she said, "Yes, that's italian soda." Look it up on wikipedia....italian soda with cream is called french soda. We just weren't happy with the service. But the burger with jalapeno chutney is good, and my husband had some steak sandwich which he liked....now if only there wasn't someone chatting in my ear all the time. I wish I could've given a better rating.
(2)
Stephanie C.

What a cute place!! Delicious food. Love the buckwheat pancakes and soba noodle salad. Yummmmmeh.
(5)
Krista T.

I have to say that I had very high expectations. I don't think they were met. Maybe its because I went in during what turns out was the last hour they were open....Our waiter was nice, but not overly friendly. The food was good but no the BEST. I am a big fan of potatoes and hash browns. Bijou's eggs+bacon breakfy comes with potatoes but they were very much lacking in flavor. The portions were good, especially for the price. I would like to go back and try breakfast during actual breakfast time, but the crowd waiting outside always keeps me away.
(4)
Allegra F.

okay. i love condiments. i know that this makes me less of a food purist and imagine i will get some crap for this when i embark my culinary career but nothing makes me happier than ketchup, tobasco, and a mutltude of jams. Bijou has the condiments covered. Homemade organic ketchup, 3 kinds of tobasco, home made jam, and 2 types of syrup along with the salt, pepper mill, cream and raw sugar. I was in condiment heaven! Then the food came out! The mushroom omelette is outstanding! Also enjoyed the mushroom hash, quesedilla and french toast (forgot which one). It was so good, we ate here both mornings of our brief stay in Portland. I miss it already.
(5)
Molly R.

One of my favorite stops when in Portland. Bright and simple interior, excellent drip coffee, organic food, and some of the best pancakes in the Northwest - not the usual dry and fluffy boringness, but the spongey, buttery kind of pancakes (my favorite!)
(5)
Edward J.

I highly recommend the mushroom hashbrown. Its really good with some salsa! We went there right after our RUN FOR THE CURE. The mimosa is pretty good too. The service is great and I love the environment. My meat eating friends love the bacon and the sausage patty. They say the potatoes are really good and well flavored.
(4)
Stephanie P.

The Bijou Cafe continues to impress me and will become a must on all my trips to Portland. My first visit, I was treated to possibly the best homeade sausage I have ever had. I love that they are committed to good, organic food too. Pancakes, omelettes and mushroom hash are all great! Well worth the wait.
(5)
Janet G.

We were here for lunch at about 11 on a Friday, so there was no wait. Food was delicious. I had the heirloom salad and the special soup (vegan tomato), and was pleased by how great such a simple meal tasted. Good ingredients make all the difference in the world. Hubs had the Bijou burger, which he enjoyed (I didn't enjoy the fact that it was so rare that the blood dripped and then pooled on his plate, but I guess that's my problem). Service was quick, efficient, and pleasant. Highly recommend it.
(5)
john w.

We were pointed here by the front desk at our hotel as a less crowded alternative to Mother's. What a great call! I had the buckwheat cakes and ordered to scrambled eggs on the side topped with mushrooms. Hands down the best side order of eggs I've ever ordered. The mushrooms very tasty. One note it's self-serve putting your name on the wait-list. Can't go wrong eating here.
(5)
avant de mourir ..

The presentation could be better, and the prices.... nice & fresh... no waffles.
(4)
Ann T.

ummmm...yum! This place was great. We went on Sunday for our usually weekly breakfast out. There was a bit of a wait, but we just put our name on the list, walked two doors down to Stumptown, got a coffee, and before we knew it, our table was ready. It's in an older building, you can tell right away by the old paint smell. But it is very cute, and the menu is amazing. I got the Brioche French Toast made with Egg Bread from the Pearl Bakery, and my husband got the Bravo Cheddar and Mushroom Omelette. Now, my husband and I consider ourselves pretty snooty foodies, especially when it comes to omelettes. The omelettes at Bijou are PERFECT! I've never seen omelettes that even look like this. Perfectly made, perfectly presented, and taste perfect, as well. And the French Toast was sinful. PS If you don't make it to Stumptown before hand for coffee, don't worry, I got a cup, and it was surprisingly really good, I even drank it black!
(4)
Randy D.

i'm giving this place 4 stars purely based on my love for their oyster omelette. breakfast heaven....
(4)
Happy D.

it was aite... didn't live up to the hype. my friends got the hash and omelet... i ordered chicken salad. go for the omelet.. it was really good.
(3)
Ryan P.

I used to live close to this place so I would go there out of convenience. Became addicted to their homemade salsa, it tastes great on your eggs. Now that I live further away I try to make it in at least once a week. Most of the staff have learned my name and they get my order going and start pouring me a cup of coffee when I walk in the door. I usually stick with the same entree but I would recommend anything on the menu.
(4)
A. B. C.

the bijou came highly recommended to me, and it really did take me too long to get there- today i finally went! i have a social phobia of eating out by myself...which i am slowly trying to get over... the only reason i'm even putting that out there is to say that it was so mellow at the bijou i didn't feel awkward at all! granted, i was meeting some friends there, but i arrived much earlier than they did so it was for a little while practically like i was dining party of one. baby steps. it's a smallish space (though the exposed-beam ceilings are high so it feels bigger), very cute with little tables covered in blue checkered tablecloths and impressionist paintings on the walls. it felt pretty sunny on a dreary day. the only thing that was really off was that there wasn't any music playing! that really weirds me out. i was happy to see a breakfast bar, which really would be prefect for solo eaters! nobody told me that! had i known i probably would've been here sooner than now. so you're alone, no problem! right? ok. now let's talk about the food. it's not a super extensive menu, but it addressed the major breakfast moods- the epic battle between sweet and savory! sweet options include brioche french toast and gibassier- a grilled orange-anise bread from pearl bakery. that sounds sooooo good. today i was more in the savory mood, so i debated between the special, which was a wild mushroom/onion/white cheddar omelette (served with home fries and toast) and the oyster omelette. i can't remember if i'd ever had oyster before...i'm sure i have but i couldn't recall a taste. i asked our waitress what she thought, and she said two things that convinced me: if you've never had an oyster before, this is the best introduction to them (they're pan fried and then cooked in with the egg), and also that she's never had anyone order it and NOT like it. plus there's bacon in it-sold! so i was feeling adventurous and ordered it. so good! so so so good. obviously if you're a picky eater and/or don't like seafood, don't get it. although it isn't too "seafoody" tasting, but the oysters definitely bring a unique flavor. "Don't be in a hurry to leave, don't hesitate to come back" is etched onto one of the mirrors paneling the walls, and i couldn't agree more. the bijou was a great place to warm up with some coffee, catch up with friends, and stuff yourself silly.
(4)
Abe I.

I love to eat breakfast here, but generally do not as it is pretty busy everytime I venture to go. None the less, I highly recommend eating here to anyone as the food is just awesome, healthy, organic, option of free range and they use more interesting ingredients than most for breakfast.
(4)
E. C.

Bijou CafÃ© was a discovery before I even moved up to the Portland area, I just had brunch there again on Saturday, and realized I've never reviewed this place. Short, and sweet, Bijou is a quintessential Portland breakfast/lunch/late breakfast spot. They specialized in organic and seasonal ingredients, and tend to lean towards granola type dishes (i.e. think whole grains, lots of veggies, etc.) Their specials are always unique and tasty. Last breakfast was a butternut squash and zucchini omelet. It was very flavorful and filling. The wait staff is warm, friendly, and efficient. There is generally a wait to get in, as you can tell from the reviews, Bijou is popular, but I've never had to wait more than 10 minutes. Just walk-in and put your name on their list. They'll come get you when your table is ready. If you have a small party, many times you can move past the large groups waiting for a table. I also think if you don't mind sitting at the bar, you can sit immediately if there is a seat open. In addition, you can run next door to Stumptown to get a cup of Joe if you need something to hold you over, or just flip through a local rag and know the wait will be worth it. I always bring my out of town guests here for a breakfast, and it's a great starting point before hitting the Saturday Market. It's also a good place to fill up before heading to the wine country for a tasting tour, or even a sake tasting (check out the review on SakeOne).
(4)
Miriam L.

I hear they have good food. And it smells good too. But when I walk into a place, put my name onto a waiting list, sit down, and then the waitress ignores me for 15 minutes while she seats 4 other groups who walk in and put their names on the list after me, I don't stick around to find out how it tastes. Perhaps the problem was that the two of us didn't have loud, stinky yuppie babies with us. Perhaps I wasn't over 60 and trying to look like a 17 year old in my crappy overpriced clothing and caked on makeup. Perhaps the waitress loves having many open tables at 10am on a Monday. Who knows? I went next door to Stumptown to get enough coffee in me to make it to Genies.
(1)
Rick S.

It was probably the third time I've been to this Cafe. It's not really anything that special. Seating was cramped. They haven't learned how to fill your coffee cup any fuller than 2/3'rds full. Food took quite a while to come out. Would I go back....not sure.
(2)
Kim L.

I'm on a mission to eat breakfast out more often and really had a hankering for pancakes. Based on another review I though there would be cornmeal pancakes so was a little disappointed to find buckwheat, oatmeal, and buttermilk. So, I had one oatmeal, one buttermilk, a side of bacon, OJ (fresh-squeezed and really nice), plus decaf coffee. I really liked the oatmeal p'cake the best. It had more of that slightly acidic note that a good buttermilk pancake usually has. All cakes are made from scratch and they were big, quite light, and had a nice fluffy texture and good seasoning. I tried both the marionberry syrup and the dark maple. The marionberry was really good on the oatmeal cake and the maple best on the buttermilk one. I know the coffeerazi will sneer at me for saying this but the waitress made fresh decaf when I ordered some and it was really, really smooth and tasty morning coffee that almost reminded me of the real thing yet I didn't end up jittery later on so I am sure it was the decaf. All in all, a good breakfast spot. I found the menu to be a little short which is why I am only giving 3 stars right now. Service was solid but I did go on a Friday at about 9:45 so not the b'fast rush hour.
(3)
Brandy S.

very yummy french toast (which is one of my rulers for a good breakfast place). Be prepared to wait though, since it is always packed (even for weekday breakfasts.
(4)
joan f.

Asked the waittress that sat at the counter reading a paper our whole meal to warm our cold, stale muffin and her reply: "We don't have a way to do that." Explains our cold eggs and potatoes too. We won't go back.
(1)
Gourmet G.

I'm not much of a breakfast person, especially at the normal hour it's served, but on occasion I'll get the urge for an omelet at lunchtime, or even dinner. For people like me - or those who simply refuse to rise before noon - Bijou Cafe serves traditional morning fare all day. My favorite item is the farmer's omelet, made with applewood-smoked bacon, Oregon cheddar, onions, and potatoes. Those looking for more substantial grub will find their options limited to burgers, soups, and salads.
(4)
Totoro O.

In our visits to Portland to see family, we regularly visit Bijou Cafe, and it does not disappoint. The eggs, pancakes and french toast are all done to perfection. I believe they do more than just breakfast, but this is clearly their specialty and it should not be skipped.
(5)
Vinnie L.

Loved the french toast and plenty of hot sauce choices for my side of hash browns. I grab a seat at the counter where there was plenty of room to grab some grub and read the morning paper.
(4)
Aimee P.

with so many great breakfast options in portland, it's hard to deal with the snottiness at bijou. a little pricey too for what you get. i'd rather go to mother's.
(1)
E T.

You really cannot go wrong here....the pancakes are huge, the roast beef hash is LEGIT, the omelettes are hearty and come with potatoes and a muffin.....and the specials, oh the specials....be sure to check out the chalk board for the daily wonders - today, I tried the salmon hash with salsa, lemon and parsley and then had to order a pecan sticky bun (another special) after the boyfriend cut me off from tasting his. I stumbled upon this breakfast spot which is right by Saturday market about a year ago, and now, every time I'm in town, Bijou is a must. I'll even get out of bed early (and I am NOT a morning person) to beat the wait....it can get busy, but there is a counter and if you really are an impatient one (like me), you can also play early bird and get there before 9...The owner is very sweet as well as the staff - one of the waitresses even remembered us after it had been 2 months since our last visit and gave me a free muffin after seeing the pain of my inner debate between a muffin or toast with my eggs....this place is the complete package.
(5)
Kim A.

Service was good and personable. Very good black coffee--fair trade, if that's important to you. Fresh local tomatoes as a side to redwood omelet were delicious. Light, fluffy, non-greasy omelet was filled with goat cheese, green onion and meaty bacon cooked perfectly. Plate wasn't huge, but satiating and didn't leave me needing more food than what was served. Well done.
(4)
K S.

I got the brioche french toast, which was very good. The waitress was nice. The coffee was good and I've read that it is Fair Trade, which I appreciate. My complaints are that they ask you to sign yourself in (instead of having the hostess do it) which seemed a bit unwelcoming to me. When I volunteered to sit at the counter, the hostess just handed me a glass of water and told me to seat myself. Additionally, the menu options felt limited for vegetarians, and I was very shocked to see that two eggs cost $8. When I ordered my $10 french toast, the waitress asked if I would like a side of eggs. If I'm not mistaken, that would make my meal $18. Please correct me if I misunderstood, or if there are golden hens laying the eggs.
(3)
Jennifer M.

Wonderful little cafe walkable from downtown hotels! Specials everyday and they only use in season local ingredients ! Don't miss the blueberry pancakes now and look for marionberry soon ! Traditional choices too ...great for breakfast and lingering over good coffee ! We never miss the Bijou when visiting from the East Coast !!
(4)
Kevin A.

We weren't too happy that the wait was 45 minutes, but what are you going to do? I ordered the braised pork with hominy. I enjoyed the flavor of the pork; however, I feel that the texture of the somewhat tougher hominy took away from the grandure of the pork. I would have simply preferred a fresh local corn with the pork instead, something that didn't "steal the pork's show". The brewed tea was one of the best tasting things we ordered there. For the wait: Overall, the meal really wasn't worth it.
(4)
Lance B.

The two stars are for the service.. Food was very bland had the Chorizo hash and I was expected a light bit of flavor but the whole dish was so blah. There are so many really good breakfast places in Pdx I think I will give this miss and just wait in line somewhere else
(2)
R M.

We stopped at the cafe for lunch after cruising the Saturday Market and found it crowed and very noisy. I ordered the NYC style ruben sandwich that came on marbled rye-white toast that was very dry. One person ordered the basic hamburger that came on a ciabatta roll and had an excellent hot pepper sauce on the side. Another person like their buckwheat pancakes. The server was very helpful (we like his explanation of French-style omelets).
(3)
James P.

Our group got there early for brunch and luckily missed the hordes and were seated right away. The people of Portland love their brunch spots and I understand why this is one of their top spots. The food, service, and prices were all good and made for a great morning option.
(4)
P C.

We found the reviews on yelp very helpful, after reading them we were eager to head out for breakfast. When we arrived there was a large line and list, the bar was first come first serve, so we hovered, grabbed a sea within ten minutes of arriving. Though the server was extremely busy, she was very personable, suggested the daily specials and encouraged us to try her famous bloody mary's. We enjoyed baked eggs and a breakfast scramble. After studying the rest of the menu, we decided that when we return to Portland the Bijou Cafe will be one of our planned destinations for breakfast!!!
(5)
Melissa O.

Bijou is adorable. It's bright, it's airy, and occasionally men walk in delivering buckets full of chanterelle mushrooms. I had the mushroom hash which was fantastic. Mushrooms, potatoes, salsa, and lemon wedges on the side. Yummy deliciousness. My only regret was not requesting an egg on top. That would have made it even better. My cafe au lait was lovely, and I got refills of coffee and a side of steamed milk. Mmmm! Joe had the cinnamon French toast with pear compote. This was to die for! So ridiculously good. He had a hot apple cider with his yummy breakfast and loved it! Service was a little slow, but I'd go back in a heartbeat.
(4)
Jen K.

Portland can be a breakfast eater's paradise. As diners we are fortunate to have so many choices depending on our appetite and budget: old school diners, upscale cafes, food carts and trendy bistros. Many of these places have long lines on the weekend and you have to decide, "Is it worth it?" There are very few places that are special and unique enough to make the line-waiting cut in my book and Bijou falls below the line. Our first family visit didn't involve much waiting so we were lucky in that regard since I regularly see long lines on the weekend. Part of this may be the excellent downtown location close to several large hotels. I suspect many visitors are directed to Bijou by the front desk staff of various hotels. I would advise visitors to our fair city that they can do better. Bijou seemed to be THE breakfast hot spot a couple of years ago when I first joined Yelp [1]. But the times have changed and their competition continues to grow and raise their game. The prices here seem high for what you get. And in a town obsessed with coffee, it strikes me as odd that they serve Kobos. I know they are one of our oldest local roasters, but the choice seems dated. I've ordered a variety of breakfast and lunch items during my visits. The tuna melt on foccacia was very good. My Buckwheat noodle salad tasted (ahem) healthy. The sausage is served as one large patty and the fruit platter was one of the lovelier I've seen lately with a colorful and flavorful mix of pears, apples, pineapple and dates. The interior is spacious with two large counters that remind me of a stripped down version of an old fashioned soda counter. One bonus, especially during the rainy months, is the enclosed waiting area. On my latest visit I ordered the brioche french toast (bread is from the Pearl Bakery) and it was quite nice. Not the best french toast in the city (my current fave is Cafe Du Berry), but very good. In another city, I would be more of a fan. But the combination of the lines, the price, the menu and the dated feel of this place just make it average in this food lover's paradise. [1] Pambiche and Bijou were my first two bookmarks.
(3)
Kevin K.

Bijou is one of those places that I walk by ALL THE TIME and rarely visit because there really isn't anything that sets it apart from similar restaurants in the area. There are many options on the menu that cater towards veggie lovers, so that's great. I usually get some kind of vegetable omelet and a coffee. My favorite thing about this place really has nothing to do with the business itself, so I won't count it towards my star rating. I went to brunch in the middle of the week and T.R. Knight from Grey's Anatomy sat at the table next to us! If Bijou is good enough for celebs, than it's good enough for me ;) On the serious: the servers are nice and the food is just OK. I go every once in a while and I'm never disappointed, I'm just unsatisfied.
(3)
Eric B.

Every time I come to Portland, there's always a new food place or neighbourhood to try out. And since Gayle and I were in town last weekend, the timing was right for a nice breakfast together. Our Hotel (The Nines) recommended the Bijou Cafe and her boss had previously raved about it. In hindsight, we're not sure why. There was only a short line when we arrived and we were seated fairly promptly. From there, the service was a remained fairly lethargic throughout our meal. It didn't look that busy, but whether it was water, taking our order, delivery from the kitchen, or even receiving and paying for our check, it was wait wait wait. However, the wait person was friendly enough and did exhibit some nice occasional service flourishes (when she was around). At the same time, the food was also very good, hot, and fresh, as Gayle enjoyed her farmer's omelet, and I did the same with a tuna melt panini. However, if I wanted good food without decent service, maybe we should have found a well-regarded food cart instead.
(3)
Autumn E.

I'm teetering on giving the place 3 stars, maybe I'll update if I go back. The Good: Coffee (Illy), The Service (friendly, helpful), The ambiance (clean, quaint, warmly bright) The Not so Good: The FOOD??!!! NW Natural Roast Beef Hash was not satisfying to my palette. When I think Roast Beef Hash, I'm thinking tender, juicy, savory thin strips of meat (or minced) ladled over flavorful potatoes and yummy eggs on the side. Instead what I got was a bland, tender-ish, well done steak cut into large-ish cubes thrown amidst flavorless fried potatoes with a heap of overly sweet sauteed onions. The only thing that was passable were the eggs. Not only that but the Hash came out SPICY! Whaaaaaaat??? It's one thing to add hot sauce to a dish upon its delivery. Its another to have it burning your mouth right out of the kitchen. I mean, I like spicy, love it really.... but not on my Hash. Its been 20 minutes since I ate and my tongue is still burning. Seriously disappointed with the food. Should I go back, I will order a "Safe" dish.
(2)
Gina C.

Excellent food and great atmosphere. The non-traditional biscuits and gravy was great.
(5)
Robert H.

This is a Portland old school breakfast and lunch spot, local, organic, sustainable and healthy if you like, from before there were a billion hipsters here. Hard to believe but true. I bent the ear of a city council member at the adjacent table once and learned a lot too: "Hey what about this? We should do the right thing." "We want to do that, and all the businesses I talk to want to do that, and even though it would benefit them, they won't come out on the record supporting it because of their friends at the Mac Club, so we cannot do it." Most of the waitstaff have been working there for eons too. If you are in a rush, select the counter. The oyster hash is pretty decadent. Inspired me enough to make it at home now. Just barely cook those oysters in a little olive oil rather than breading and frying as Bijou does. I rarely eat eggs, so no idea on that. My other option is healthy. They have it. Fruit, granola, oatmeal. They tend to be busy from opening time, unlike hipster hangouts that are just hitting their stride weekends about 11 or noon, (or 1 or 2 - that's PM not AM!). It's a good place to bring family visitors from the Midwest, it has a familiar vibe, but a quality menu and ingredients. It's not a place of culinary fireworks like Tasty and Sons. Business and old school crowd early weekdays, Reassuring non-hipsterific quality.
(4)
Emma G.

Weekday lunch at 1 pm ... We were seated immediately, server was attentive, we ordered... and then we waited...and waited...and waited. 40 minutes later our server came over and said our food would be ready shortly (... shortly????) but that the kitchen had run out of ingredients for one of our orders. We ordered a replacement for the first dish, three of the orders arrived five minutes later and the fourth order about five or ten minutes later. Throughout, our server was excellent and apologetic and she took a little off our bill. Her efforts get 5 stars. I love the ambiance of Bijou, and it's one of the few restaurants downtown where you can have a quiet conversation without having to yell over the din. But geez, the kitchen needs to get its act together on the timing. It's a downtown lunch spot...customers need to get back to work! Hoping this was a one-time glitch. The food... oyster po-boy was excellent and definitely worth ordering. Biscuits and gravy were good. Good biscuit, perfectly cooked egg. The meat and gravy were a bit bland. The Roast beef hash was overcooked, meat was tough and utterly tasteless. It was the replacement dish, so maybe the cook rushed it somehow. Hoping this was just an off day for the kitchen. We'll go back at some point and try them again.
(3)
K.J. N.

Had breakfast at the Bijou and was glad that I ordered the Oyster Omelette with a blackberry muffin vs. the Oyster Hash. I think I got more oysters this way! Husband ate the Cowboy Steak with Borlotto Beans. Everything was delicious and organic ketchup without yukky corn syrup makes me happy. We were seated immediately and service was cordial. Our waitress was so nice, she ran off to get restaurant suggestions for dinner and came back with a list. How cool is that?
(4)
Drew L.

Being from out of town I stumbled upon this place for dinner and was pleasantly surprised. The food was outstanding and very reasonably priced. The live jazz added to the relaxing ambiance. Only other place to compare it to is little bird and thought bijou was much better. I hear it's a brunch spot but highly recommend it for dinner.
(5)
Debbie C.

I was very disappointed in this restaurant... I was visiting Portland and told by a friend who used to live here that the Bijou has the best breakfast. What they do have is a very limited menu ... And no egg whites ... They do have 3 or 4 types of omelets, 3 kinds of egg dishes, french toast or pancakes and oatmeal -- which they don't serve all day. I ended up getting buckwheat pancakes -- comes with 2 that fill a plate ... and they were good ... but I don't eat dairy or sugar, so they were kind of dry ... i wanted fruit, but wasn't interested in paying another $5 for fruit on top of my pancakes. I was really disappointed when I asked if I could get egg whites and was told no. You can even get egg whites at Denny's for crying out loud. And I get that it's standard to pay $1 extra for egg whites - that would have been fine. Or how about if you give me a smaller omelette and just drain the yolk out like I do at home ... not even an option. So I thought that really sucked - especially when the omelets were $10-12 to start.
(3)
Suie C.

Came here for brunch with a party of 5. There was a wait, but were seated in a timely manner. One thing to note, they only seat if everyone in the party is there. There's a sign right by the waiting list that makes this very clear The set up in casual with many tables and checkered tablecloths. We asked the hostess for a couple recommendations as we waited and she was happy to suggest her favorites. The menu itself consists of mostly breakfast and brunch fares; omlettes, some sandwiches, hashes, french toast, etc. All of us ordered omlettes which came with potatoes or salad and your choice of a bread (toast, muffin, etc). I tried the coffee there which is an organic roast and was very good. I think I ended up having 4 cups of coffee. I had the oyster omlette which was fantastic! Different and well made. It consisted of fried oysters, bacon (from their own pig farm we learned from the hostess) and sauteed onions. Absolutely delicious! I chose the salad which had a light dressing and the wholegrain toast. The portions were filling and just right. I got through most of my plate and was stuffed. They did not skimp on the amount of oysters, bacon, or onions in my omlette. I also tried the farmer's omlette and a bacon and cheese one which were both good. Creamy and tasty. Not your usual greasy breakfast food either. Definitely a good spot, the only reason I'm giving it 4 stars is because the service was good at first but seemed to decline a bit as our meal progressed. Our pepper shaker was out and it took a while to get a new one and I think our waitress decided she disliked us after there was some confusion about who ordered what when the food came out. Her attitude became a bit impatient. Each plate was between $10-15. Overall, very good food, good coffee, clean bathrooms, and maybe our server was having a stressful day. Check it our if you're looking for good breakfast.
(4)
Huey K.

We couldn't get into Mother's Bistro on Easter Sunday, so we went here instead. At the time of this writing, this restaurant had 4 stars -- talk about Yelp inflation. I couldn't believe the roast beef hash had so many positive reviews. It's so boring, and the potatoes needed salt and pepper. Similarly, the mushroom and cheddar omelet was also really bad. Meh.
(1)
Dave B.

Wow!! This place just rocks!! Fast, friendly service and the food is fresh and amazingly well prepared. I had the brioche French toast which was light and delicious, smothered in real maple syrup, along with a great cup of coffee and wonderful fresh OJ. Kevin had the goat cheese cheddar, bacon and green onion omelet and it was simply amazing, perfectly cooked and NO grease at all. His fresh apple cider was excellent as well. All in all a really nice breakfast with great friendly service. Definitely on the top of our list for return visits!!
(5)
christian C.

Overall memory is bland and expensive. The chorizo tasted like ground beef and the "hash" was just chunks of home fries, the "chorizo" and big pepper slices all tossed to together. Doused it in hot sauce and salt and pepper to try to liven it up. The other "hash" was cauliflower, kale, peppers spiced with harrissa. It was particularly galling that they served diner-swill coffee being located right next door to Stumptown Coffee! Two coffees, one juice and two hash dishes was $40 with tip.
(2)
Cristina S.

Visiting from Chicago husband and I decided to have breakfast at this place on a weekday around 11am. Place was packed so we had to wait about 15 min, which we did not mind. Food was good, however service was below par. After being seated we were not offered water/coffee for maybe 10 min and when our waitress finally came over she rushed out of there pretty fast. Finally placed our order for which we had to wait a long time. Since we were on vacation we did not mind that so much but the table next to us was getting pretty impatient. I ordered the oyster hash and hubby had the cauliflower kale hash. Oyster hash was very good and fresh but I would have liked if it came with eggs or some greens. The kale hash was amazing. You could tell they use fresh, high quality ingredients. The dishes did not come toast or anything else, we ended up ordering that after our meal came. During the whole experience our waitress was pretty inattentive and not very nice at times and the food lacked proper breakfast brunch accompaniments. Overall we were happy we tried this place, but will probably not go back only because there are too many great choices out there, so why settled for a place that does not impress.
(3)
Isabel T.

I wasn't overly impressed by this spot but came due to the overwhelmingly good reviews on Yelp. I came for breakfast with a business colleague. I ordered the oatmeal and I don't like my oatmeal runny but this was downright solid. I added some milk and that solved the problem. I liked the little condiment tray with nuts, raisens and brown sugar. I also had toast with jelly. My colleague was upset that they didn't have hash browns but denny's it is not. Happy to hear they take the leftover food and make a compost out of it but overall a bit too pricey for what you get...so A-OK is my rating.
(3)
Sharon S.

Didn't know what to expect when I went in but I was pleasantly surprised. I had the mushroom cheese omelette with toast and greens. I was disappointed that egg whites were not an option. The food was good but felt they should have provided me with two slices of bread. My friend had the buckwheat noodles and that was excellent.
(3)
Kevin N.

My wife liked her oyster hash, and my roast beef hash was okay - a little flavorless. They had fresh squeezed orange juice, although we didn't try it. They had good food options for our two-year-old, they provided crayons while we waited at the table, and had a high chair available. The wait seemed quite long (25 minutes) for a mid-week 11:00 meal.
(3)
Castine H.

This highly-recommended breakfast spot was right around the corner from our hotel...so we hit it on our first morning. We waited about 10 minutes for a table, and the spot was really cute and simple and light and airy. Our waiter was awesome. He liked the BF's Lebowski shirt, so we liked him right away. We ordered two of the Bloody Bijou's...which may have been some of the best spicy Bloody Mary's we've had. They had a Chulula floater, and the best pickled green bean garnish! They were so good, I had to get some on the side, much like olives with a martini. I ordered the wild mushroom, spinach and bravo farmer's cheddar omelet. E got the Chorizo Hash with poached eggs. Both were amazing! The omelet was seriously the prettiest one I've ever seen. Completely puffy and yellow and stuffed beautifully. The Bravo cheddar was so ooey and gooey and there were all sorts of perfectly cooked fancy mushrooms inside. The potatoes were really good, as was the wheat toast. Best part of breakfast was when waiter came to check on us and said "Are you guys still Hangin' Tough, like New Kids?". It. was. so. cheesy. but. awesome. Hahahahaha. Anyways, the breakfast was so good we came back again the next morning. This time, I got the veggie omelet and E got the Green onion, bacon and smoked cheddar omelet. Another round of Bloody Bijou's, and we were just as happy as the day before. Go there.
(5)
Julia K.

Stumbed upon this place since Mother's Bistro is not open on Mondays. For our last day in Portland, my group and I wanted to go out for a nice brunch before we left so we chose this place in lieu of Mother's. The majority of us ordered hashes and they were all pretty good. All agreed that we liked them, but the serving size was kind of small. Luckily, I called ahead that morning and made reservations for us since we were a larger group and we were seated right away when we got there. Otherwise, the wait would've only been around 10 minutes. It was Monday. The service here was good, but as far as the food was concerned, it was ok. Nothing special.
(3)
Meagan J.

The banana nut muffins were delicious! Our server was friendly and straight up which I appreciated. It is obviously a popular place and I love the ketchup. We sat at the bar and were helped right away. Good food, great service, fun atmosphere. A bit on the pricey side, however everything is fresh and you definitely get what you pay for.
(4)
Megan B.

This is our go-to breakfast place when in Portland. It's got a great homey vibe, delicious food and nice servers. I'd recommend * Fresh orange juice or grapefruit juice. Great way to start the day * Any of the omelettes. You really can't go wrong. * Eggs with bacon. Their bacon is *delicious* * Buckwheat pancakes. If you like that kind of thing these are great.
(5)
Gerald U.

I've never been to a french breakfast cafe, but it was very delightful! I saw from a previous yelp post to get the roastbeef hash, but I would suggest getting the items on the special list or something unique. The roastbeef hash was very filling, but kind of a plain taste. My girlfriend purchased the quesadilla it was one of the most unique tasting plates I've ever had. Service was somewhat slow, but the food was worth it!
(3)
Jackie K.

Enjoyed the omelets and friendly staff. Great potatoes!. Very popular spot for locals and tourists. Good vibe and worth the 25 minute wait.
(5)
Tara R.

Definitely the best sit-down breakfast I had in Portland. I laughed at the "organic" ketchup and then tasted it. I took back the scoff...it was delicious. Coffee was great, too. All local food, SO good.
(5)
Eric H.

Nice and very local. Everybody who came in there either walked there or was known by a waitress/waiter or both. Plus they were the only place serving brunch on whatever holiday I was there for. Of course their food was also good. All in all I recommend this place even if you are not a local or walking here.
(4)
Brent B.

Friday night we happened to see that Bijou was open! It's breakfast and lunch usually, but Friday nights they invite a jazz ensemble to perform. Not just your run of the mill group. These folks were great professionals. What a great experience and the food was great too!
(5)
Mary C.

I hesitated a while before entering Bijou. I was only in town for a few days and I was a bit tired of the pastry breakfast from the training I had been in. I needed the hearty breakfast! I sat on their counter table and was greeted by a personable staff. I'm beginning to think that Portland people are just generally nice people! I ordered the Homemade Sausage & Egg breakfast (see picture). It was a burger patty - but the taste was no burger! I can tell that this sausage had a variety of spices and kick to it - believe me when I say that it was really delicious. I wish I was a food guru to know what it was. The scrambled eggs were so airy, fluffy sprinkled with really good cheddar. I know that this may be really bad to my forming heart disease - but I was just tired of the cardboard pastries I had the last few mornings. Bijou's Homemade Breakfast was heavenly! I noticed that Bijou served Illy coffee (a favorite of mine) and immediately regretted the coffee I had gotten next door. :( It's ok! Another great reason for me to revisit Bijou next time I'm in town. I will definitely be coming back to this cafe!!
(5)
Kristine P.

*shrugs shoulders* I had the House-made Carlton Pork Sausage & Eggs. I can make better potatoes at home, blind-folded and hung-over. The only good thing about this breakfast was the sausage and the cup of decaf coffee. There are a TON of better breakfast spots and it's worth it to explore them rather than visit this place again.
(2)
eva s.

Solid. The vegetarian hash thing was deelish!! And perfect for my mini hangover ;)
(4)
JustPeach E.

Cant go wrong with the fluffy griddle cakes and delicious local mushroom omelette! Yummmm! Potatoes were also nice and pan fried crispy.
(4)
Cris G.

This was a recommendation from the valet at our hotel. I am not from Portland. While the plates were pricey for what I'm used to, the food was very good. The food service felt slow, but the waiter was pleasant. I think it was the sweaty guy working the grill by himself that was taking some time. I had the goat cheese and bacon omelette. Oh, it was good. Fresh grapefruit juice was no joke too. Lots of pulp. I like pulp.
(4)
Lala P.

Based on the consistent high quality of the food and service, this would be 5 stars. However, changes over the last few years have diminished the pleasure for my family, longtime regulars. Starting with the remodel which eliminated the wonderful aged wood floors and warm decor, replacing it with a young, but cold vibe. Recently the seating for waiting was inexplicably eliminated, making waiting difficult for seniors, disabled persons and those with young children. Nevertheless, the heart and soul of the Bijou has always been its staff. They are what has kept us coming back in addition to the consistently good food. Over the last few years, one by one the longtime servers have left and just recently our favorite hostess was bafflingly let go. Now we see frequent signs in the window advertising for kitchen staff and on our last visit we were served our first ever subpar scrambled eggs. Get your act together management and recognize your strengths!!
(4)
Rachael G.

Awful service, they were out of beer and bread, BUT my husband loved his Cuban sandwich!! Our waitress was rude and odd- she was a middle-aged woman with gray hair....wish I could remember her name! It was just weird that the first three things on the menu that we asked for, the restaurant was out of. The waitress did not seem keen on remedying the situation. Not even the obligatory "I'm sorry, but we're out of that." Despite the good food we finally received (and made us late for a tour we had booked), we would not return.
(2)
Jenni D.

Spicy pumpkin-seed mole quesadillas... where have you been all my life?!!! These tasty dillas traveled happily into my tummy as I downed each bite with some salsa and iced tea. We enjoyed sitting up at the bar, and I would love to go back soon and try the Oyster Omelet.
(4)
Michael L.

Ate: Kale hash Drank: water Liked: Good hash, good ingredients Disliked: the long wait, but we did have a large group Chicken: yes Would mom like it?: If she was in a good mood Wait: 30 min Would I go back: eh Recommend: The specials board has some good stuff
(4)
Corwin M.

It has a French name, so minuscule portions, right? No, but I can't say I was overly enthused by the size of my omelet and side serving of potatoes. Also, since I know which county I'm dining in, I knew that I wasn't going to get three or four more courses. It's the most upscale place I've had breakfast at downtown, being that I usually have booze for breakfast, but I would have liked a little more food, please; at least more potatoes, since those are cheap enough! However, the omelet was an excellent combination of goat cheese and local mushrooms with spinach. And, the service was very good and the wait not at all long despite it being weekend brunch rush. Impress a girl with how culinaryily cosmopolitan you are here, but then head down to the Ash Street for a real meal of Jack and Coke for $3 a shot!
(4)
Branden T.

My second favorite breakfast place in the city....we had a great breakfast during the snow storm of Dec 08. The food is a high quality, the coffee is tasty, and they deliver a strong basic breakfast.
(4)
Sara W.

I had one of the best omelets ever here and was super impressed with the ingredients (love the goat cheese cheddar). The cafe is cute and charming and the staff is very friendly.
(4)
Larry E.

This is a must b'fast stop for me when visiting from Seattle. It was probably my 20th time here and met my expectations. Usually have the buckwheat pancakes or oatmeal, both of which are always great. The artwork is always interesting, service always efficient and friendly. And it's always packed (at b'fast anyway).
(5)
Erika B.

I had the oatmeal pancakes and they were pretty good tastewise, although they did leave a greasy feel to my palate. My husband had the buckwheat pancakes which were steaming hot and fluffy but were completely absent of any flavor. The atmosphere was cozy and clean. The service was very friendly and unrushed. Probably won't go back though.
(3)
James R.

i was 2/2 on my brunches in portland. had the goat chedder french omelette - was extremely well done. and then these details made me love this place: * came in with a cup of stumptown coffee and they didn't give me any trouble about it (some places get annoyed because they, too, serve coffe) * their ketchup was potentially homemade and really good - appreciated the attention to detail * made me a custom drink (grapefruit + champagne) * my muffin was cold, and they said they didn't have a way to heat it, but that some new ones had just come out of the oven and they were happy to give me a new one - how awesome is that? thanks, bijou
(5)
ruth a.

I hesitate to add to the amount of glowing reviews just because I don't want this place to get any more popular then it is. However once past my momentary selfishness I have to say that if this were my last morning on earth I would have to give serious thought to having breakfast here. The wait staff are that perfect blend of knowing when to approach and suggest without hovering or appearing pushy. The omelets are soft and perfectly cooked, all vegetables fresh and they have the best homemade pork patty sausage perfectly seasoned. My friend and I wanted to try as many things as possible so we split a buckwheat pancake, brought with both maple and marionberry syrup and the Greek omelet and the salmon hash. Both dishes were so good we wanted to finish everything but our eyes were bigger then our stomachs. You are given large portions, there is also a choice of baguette, muffin, toasted orange anise bread or wholewheat. The coffee is fresh, the mimosas fresh squeezed and you are never hurried or given the sense they would like to turn the table. It is a nice corner building location with large windows in the front to observe the street scene and you may sit at the counter or have table service. I would say if your visiting Portland don't bother going anywhere else for breakfast.
(4)
squirrel l.

We came here when we couldn't get into Mother's. It wasn't very crowded and the service was very good. The menu, however, is rather uninteresting for the most part. I had brioche French toast, which was really bland and unexciting. The husband had a hash from the specials with summer squash and a few eggs. His food was pretty yummy, but mine was really disappointing.
(3)
Allison D.

Bijou is one of my favorite spots for brunch. Friendly services, prompt refills, soft and delicate omlettes (goat cheese and white cheddar are the best), and other nice breakfast/lunch menu items make me come back at least a couple times a month. I also like bringing my friends who's visiting Portland here for brunch. There is usually a long wait on Saturday and Sunday mornings, though, but you can always grab a coffee from Stumptown next door while you wait... I think Bijou allows Stumptown coffee in the restaurant if you don't finish it before entering the restaurant.
(4)
Lynn K.

We just got back from the Bijou. The place was very crowded and we waited for almost 35 minutes. The omelettes were noteworthy being that they were very fluffy and not overdone. We got the Farmer's omelette which had lots of onions and bacon in it. The roast beef hash was OK, but the meat lacked flavor and was not salted enough. The crimini mushroom hash had a nice cumin flavor, but lacked mushrooms. I'd say go for the omelettes and french toast, but not the hash. Food: 3 stars Service: 3 stars Ambiance: 3 stars
(3)
C Y.

Our hotel recommended this place for breakfast. Our party of 4 are all non-Portlanders. All of us really enjoyed our visit here. Unique items, (Oyster hash, roast beef hash) special ingredients (fiddleheads, organic syrup and ketchup) great personable service made for a very nice breakfast experience. I can understand why it's such a well reviewed place in Portland.
(4)
A. B.

really solid brunch place with local & sustainable ingredients...great place to grab a bite after a visit to stumptown next door.
(4)
A R.

O my god -- I love this place! We were looking for a good place to eat breakfast and this cool Portland family gave us some confusing and interesting directions that involved looking for a big cowboy sign that's a couple blocks away from it. ...but we found it! and we had the best breakfast!! We had lunch there today and we're getting up early to have breakfast before flying home tomorrow. YUM!!!!!
(5)
Jodi H.

My favorite breakfast place in Portland and I've tried alot of them! Totally Portland - my favorite is the farmers omelet with a side of the gabasier (sp?) bread (instead of toast or muffin). Especially good if you can get in right around when they open so you don't have to wait for a table since its very popular. Love this place!
(5)
Rick I.

Had breakfast here and YES it was good, and I would totally come back. Luckily we went on a weekday since we were on vacation, so we didn't have to wait for table. We has the mushroom hash and the french toast. Both delicious! The waiter also gave us some tips on Brewerys to visit! Highly recommend this place.
(4)
Lisa E.

BiJou = FABULOUS!!!!!!! Stumbled into this place at 1:30 pm looking for something fabulous (preferrably breakfast). The place was packed but we found a spot at the counter. The staff was super friendly which is always significant to my dining pleasure. And the food????.................It was superb! The top special was an artichoke heart omelet with orange bell peppers, Feta cheese, mushrooms and kale......I was in heaven. By 1:30 all of the sticky buns were gone sooooooo, that was the only downfall. Next time. Anyway, kudos to BiJou!!
(5)
Alisdair M.

I went for breakfast with a big group on a weekday and was pleased to be seated right away. The food was REALLY good. I had a delicious omelet with smoked cheddar and bacon. I also had some of the pancakes, which were on special with a berry compote and they were also great. Prices are higher than what you might expect for omelets and pancakes, but it is worth the money. The atmosphere is nice although the decor seems kind of a work in progress. The waiters seemed understandably rushed.
(4)
Lisa W.

Gotta say, I'm a bit disappointed. Could it have been that my scrambled eggs were RUNNY? Or that the potatoes were flavorless and oil soaked to the point of yellowness? Or that the restaurant doesn't take American Express? Yes.
(2)
Jones T.

Stopped by here for breakfast during our trip from LA to Seattle. I really enjoyed the decor and atmosphere inside. Great service and staff. Food was fair prices. As for the taste? The omelette was pretty good, but my god, the muffin was one of the best muffins I have ever had. Seriously. I wish I could just order the muffins.
(4)
Sara G.

Bijou Cafe was a bright, cheery spot for breakfast on a dreary Sunday morning. Our omelettes were tasty, the potatoes crispy and well-seasoned, and the strawberry jam delicious. It is nice that you can choose a housemade muffin along with your omelette if you like. Service was prompt and friendly. In short, our meal was perfectly nice but not very memorable. I wouldn't object to going back, but wouldn't go out of my way- especially since it is just outside of a not-very-nice neighborhood.
(3)
Michelle T.

So we went here with great expectations...we were sad. It wasn't really that the food was bad, but I'd say the service was definitely sub-par. Our waitress was all too chatty and tried to interject comments into our meal. They weren't exactly rude comments, but I just don't want to be bothered while I'm eating, and I'm talking to my family, not you. My husband ordered an italian soda....he said, "Italian soda has cream in it?" And she said, "Yes, that's italian soda." Look it up on wikipedia....italian soda with cream is called french soda. We just weren't happy with the service. But the burger with jalapeno chutney is good, and my husband had some steak sandwich which he liked....now if only there wasn't someone chatting in my ear all the time. I wish I could've given a better rating.
(2)
Stephanie C.

What a cute place!! Delicious food. Love the buckwheat pancakes and soba noodle salad. Yummmmmeh.
(5)
Krista T.

I have to say that I had very high expectations. I don't think they were met. Maybe its because I went in during what turns out was the last hour they were open....Our waiter was nice, but not overly friendly. The food was good but no the BEST. I am a big fan of potatoes and hash browns. Bijou's eggs+bacon breakfy comes with potatoes but they were very much lacking in flavor. The portions were good, especially for the price. I would like to go back and try breakfast during actual breakfast time, but the crowd waiting outside always keeps me away.
(4)
Allegra F.

okay. i love condiments. i know that this makes me less of a food purist and imagine i will get some crap for this when i embark my culinary career but nothing makes me happier than ketchup, tobasco, and a mutltude of jams. Bijou has the condiments covered. Homemade organic ketchup, 3 kinds of tobasco, home made jam, and 2 types of syrup along with the salt, pepper mill, cream and raw sugar. I was in condiment heaven! Then the food came out! The mushroom omelette is outstanding! Also enjoyed the mushroom hash, quesedilla and french toast (forgot which one). It was so good, we ate here both mornings of our brief stay in Portland. I miss it already.
(5)
Molly R.

One of my favorite stops when in Portland. Bright and simple interior, excellent drip coffee, organic food, and some of the best pancakes in the Northwest - not the usual dry and fluffy boringness, but the spongey, buttery kind of pancakes (my favorite!)
(5)
Edward J.

I highly recommend the mushroom hashbrown. Its really good with some salsa! We went there right after our RUN FOR THE CURE. The mimosa is pretty good too. The service is great and I love the environment. My meat eating friends love the bacon and the sausage patty. They say the potatoes are really good and well flavored.
(4)
Stephanie P.

The Bijou Cafe continues to impress me and will become a must on all my trips to Portland. My first visit, I was treated to possibly the best homeade sausage I have ever had. I love that they are committed to good, organic food too. Pancakes, omelettes and mushroom hash are all great! Well worth the wait.
(5)
Janet G.

We were here for lunch at about 11 on a Friday, so there was no wait. Food was delicious. I had the heirloom salad and the special soup (vegan tomato), and was pleased by how great such a simple meal tasted. Good ingredients make all the difference in the world. Hubs had the Bijou burger, which he enjoyed (I didn't enjoy the fact that it was so rare that the blood dripped and then pooled on his plate, but I guess that's my problem). Service was quick, efficient, and pleasant. Highly recommend it.
(5)
john w.

We were pointed here by the front desk at our hotel as a less crowded alternative to Mother's. What a great call! I had the buckwheat cakes and ordered to scrambled eggs on the side topped with mushrooms. Hands down the best side order of eggs I've ever ordered. The mushrooms very tasty. One note it's self-serve putting your name on the wait-list. Can't go wrong eating here.
(5)
avant de mourir ..

The presentation could be better, and the prices.... nice & fresh... no waffles.
(4)
Ann T.

ummmm...yum! This place was great. We went on Sunday for our usually weekly breakfast out. There was a bit of a wait, but we just put our name on the list, walked two doors down to Stumptown, got a coffee, and before we knew it, our table was ready. It's in an older building, you can tell right away by the old paint smell. But it is very cute, and the menu is amazing. I got the Brioche French Toast made with Egg Bread from the Pearl Bakery, and my husband got the Bravo Cheddar and Mushroom Omelette. Now, my husband and I consider ourselves pretty snooty foodies, especially when it comes to omelettes. The omelettes at Bijou are PERFECT! I've never seen omelettes that even look like this. Perfectly made, perfectly presented, and taste perfect, as well. And the French Toast was sinful. PS If you don't make it to Stumptown before hand for coffee, don't worry, I got a cup, and it was surprisingly really good, I even drank it black!
(4)
Randy D.

i'm giving this place 4 stars purely based on my love for their oyster omelette. breakfast heaven....
(4)
Happy D.

it was aite... didn't live up to the hype. my friends got the hash and omelet... i ordered chicken salad. go for the omelet.. it was really good.
(3)
Ryan P.

I used to live close to this place so I would go there out of convenience. Became addicted to their homemade salsa, it tastes great on your eggs. Now that I live further away I try to make it in at least once a week. Most of the staff have learned my name and they get my order going and start pouring me a cup of coffee when I walk in the door. I usually stick with the same entree but I would recommend anything on the menu.
(4)
A. B. C.

the bijou came highly recommended to me, and it really did take me too long to get there- today i finally went! i have a social phobia of eating out by myself...which i am slowly trying to get over... the only reason i'm even putting that out there is to say that it was so mellow at the bijou i didn't feel awkward at all! granted, i was meeting some friends there, but i arrived much earlier than they did so it was for a little while practically like i was dining party of one. baby steps. it's a smallish space (though the exposed-beam ceilings are high so it feels bigger), very cute with little tables covered in blue checkered tablecloths and impressionist paintings on the walls. it felt pretty sunny on a dreary day. the only thing that was really off was that there wasn't any music playing! that really weirds me out. i was happy to see a breakfast bar, which really would be prefect for solo eaters! nobody told me that! had i known i probably would've been here sooner than now. so you're alone, no problem! right? ok. now let's talk about the food. it's not a super extensive menu, but it addressed the major breakfast moods- the epic battle between sweet and savory! sweet options include brioche french toast and gibassier- a grilled orange-anise bread from pearl bakery. that sounds sooooo good. today i was more in the savory mood, so i debated between the special, which was a wild mushroom/onion/white cheddar omelette (served with home fries and toast) and the oyster omelette. i can't remember if i'd ever had oyster before...i'm sure i have but i couldn't recall a taste. i asked our waitress what she thought, and she said two things that convinced me: if you've never had an oyster before, this is the best introduction to them (they're pan fried and then cooked in with the egg), and also that she's never had anyone order it and NOT like it. plus there's bacon in it-sold! so i was feeling adventurous and ordered it. so good! so so so good. obviously if you're a picky eater and/or don't like seafood, don't get it. although it isn't too "seafoody" tasting, but the oysters definitely bring a unique flavor. "Don't be in a hurry to leave, don't hesitate to come back" is etched onto one of the mirrors paneling the walls, and i couldn't agree more. the bijou was a great place to warm up with some coffee, catch up with friends, and stuff yourself silly.
(4)
Abe I.

I love to eat breakfast here, but generally do not as it is pretty busy everytime I venture to go. None the less, I highly recommend eating here to anyone as the food is just awesome, healthy, organic, option of free range and they use more interesting ingredients than most for breakfast.
(4)
E. C.

Bijou CafÃ© was a discovery before I even moved up to the Portland area, I just had brunch there again on Saturday, and realized I've never reviewed this place. Short, and sweet, Bijou is a quintessential Portland breakfast/lunch/late breakfast spot. They specialized in organic and seasonal ingredients, and tend to lean towards granola type dishes (i.e. think whole grains, lots of veggies, etc.) Their specials are always unique and tasty. Last breakfast was a butternut squash and zucchini omelet. It was very flavorful and filling. The wait staff is warm, friendly, and efficient. There is generally a wait to get in, as you can tell from the reviews, Bijou is popular, but I've never had to wait more than 10 minutes. Just walk-in and put your name on their list. They'll come get you when your table is ready. If you have a small party, many times you can move past the large groups waiting for a table. I also think if you don't mind sitting at the bar, you can sit immediately if there is a seat open. In addition, you can run next door to Stumptown to get a cup of Joe if you need something to hold you over, or just flip through a local rag and know the wait will be worth it. I always bring my out of town guests here for a breakfast, and it's a great starting point before hitting the Saturday Market. It's also a good place to fill up before heading to the wine country for a tasting tour, or even a sake tasting (check out the review on SakeOne).
(4)
Miriam L.

I hear they have good food. And it smells good too. But when I walk into a place, put my name onto a waiting list, sit down, and then the waitress ignores me for 15 minutes while she seats 4 other groups who walk in and put their names on the list after me, I don't stick around to find out how it tastes. Perhaps the problem was that the two of us didn't have loud, stinky yuppie babies with us. Perhaps I wasn't over 60 and trying to look like a 17 year old in my crappy overpriced clothing and caked on makeup. Perhaps the waitress loves having many open tables at 10am on a Monday. Who knows? I went next door to Stumptown to get enough coffee in me to make it to Genies.
(1)
Rick S.

It was probably the third time I've been to this Cafe. It's not really anything that special. Seating was cramped. They haven't learned how to fill your coffee cup any fuller than 2/3'rds full. Food took quite a while to come out. Would I go back....not sure.
(2)
Kim L.

I'm on a mission to eat breakfast out more often and really had a hankering for pancakes. Based on another review I though there would be cornmeal pancakes so was a little disappointed to find buckwheat, oatmeal, and buttermilk. So, I had one oatmeal, one buttermilk, a side of bacon, OJ (fresh-squeezed and really nice), plus decaf coffee. I really liked the oatmeal p'cake the best. It had more of that slightly acidic note that a good buttermilk pancake usually has. All cakes are made from scratch and they were big, quite light, and had a nice fluffy texture and good seasoning. I tried both the marionberry syrup and the dark maple. The marionberry was really good on the oatmeal cake and the maple best on the buttermilk one. I know the coffeerazi will sneer at me for saying this but the waitress made fresh decaf when I ordered some and it was really, really smooth and tasty morning coffee that almost reminded me of the real thing yet I didn't end up jittery later on so I am sure it was the decaf. All in all, a good breakfast spot. I found the menu to be a little short which is why I am only giving 3 stars right now. Service was solid but I did go on a Friday at about 9:45 so not the b'fast rush hour.
(3)
Brandy S.

very yummy french toast (which is one of my rulers for a good breakfast place). Be prepared to wait though, since it is always packed (even for weekday breakfasts.
(4)
joan f.

Asked the waittress that sat at the counter reading a paper our whole meal to warm our cold, stale muffin and her reply: "We don't have a way to do that." Explains our cold eggs and potatoes too. We won't go back.
(1)
Gourmet G.

I'm not much of a breakfast person, especially at the normal hour it's served, but on occasion I'll get the urge for an omelet at lunchtime, or even dinner. For people like me - or those who simply refuse to rise before noon - Bijou Cafe serves traditional morning fare all day. My favorite item is the farmer's omelet, made with applewood-smoked bacon, Oregon cheddar, onions, and potatoes. Those looking for more substantial grub will find their options limited to burgers, soups, and salads.
(4)
Totoro O.

In our visits to Portland to see family, we regularly visit Bijou Cafe, and it does not disappoint. The eggs, pancakes and french toast are all done to perfection. I believe they do more than just breakfast, but this is clearly their specialty and it should not be skipped.
(5)
Vinnie L.

Loved the french toast and plenty of hot sauce choices for my side of hash browns. I grab a seat at the counter where there was plenty of room to grab some grub and read the morning paper.
(4)
Aimee P.

with so many great breakfast options in portland, it's hard to deal with the snottiness at bijou. a little pricey too for what you get. i'd rather go to mother's.
(1)
E T.

You really cannot go wrong here....the pancakes are huge, the roast beef hash is LEGIT, the omelettes are hearty and come with potatoes and a muffin.....and the specials, oh the specials....be sure to check out the chalk board for the daily wonders - today, I tried the salmon hash with salsa, lemon and parsley and then had to order a pecan sticky bun (another special) after the boyfriend cut me off from tasting his. I stumbled upon this breakfast spot which is right by Saturday market about a year ago, and now, every time I'm in town, Bijou is a must. I'll even get out of bed early (and I am NOT a morning person) to beat the wait....it can get busy, but there is a counter and if you really are an impatient one (like me), you can also play early bird and get there before 9...The owner is very sweet as well as the staff - one of the waitresses even remembered us after it had been 2 months since our last visit and gave me a free muffin after seeing the pain of my inner debate between a muffin or toast with my eggs....this place is the complete package.
(5)
K S.

I got the brioche french toast, which was very good. The waitress was nice. The coffee was good and I've read that it is Fair Trade, which I appreciate. My complaints are that they ask you to sign yourself in (instead of having the hostess do it) which seemed a bit unwelcoming to me. When I volunteered to sit at the counter, the hostess just handed me a glass of water and told me to seat myself. Additionally, the menu options felt limited for vegetarians, and I was very shocked to see that two eggs cost $8. When I ordered my $10 french toast, the waitress asked if I would like a side of eggs. If I'm not mistaken, that would make my meal $18. Please correct me if I misunderstood, or if there are golden hens laying the eggs.
(3)
Jennifer M.

Wonderful little cafe walkable from downtown hotels! Specials everyday and they only use in season local ingredients ! Don't miss the blueberry pancakes now and look for marionberry soon ! Traditional choices too ...great for breakfast and lingering over good coffee ! We never miss the Bijou when visiting from the East Coast !!
(4)
Kevin A.

We weren't too happy that the wait was 45 minutes, but what are you going to do? I ordered the braised pork with hominy. I enjoyed the flavor of the pork; however, I feel that the texture of the somewhat tougher hominy took away from the grandure of the pork. I would have simply preferred a fresh local corn with the pork instead, something that didn't "steal the pork's show". The brewed tea was one of the best tasting things we ordered there. For the wait: Overall, the meal really wasn't worth it.
(4)
Lance B.

The two stars are for the service.. Food was very bland had the Chorizo hash and I was expected a light bit of flavor but the whole dish was so blah. There are so many really good breakfast places in Pdx I think I will give this miss and just wait in line somewhere else
(2)
R M.

We stopped at the cafe for lunch after cruising the Saturday Market and found it crowed and very noisy. I ordered the NYC style ruben sandwich that came on marbled rye-white toast that was very dry. One person ordered the basic hamburger that came on a ciabatta roll and had an excellent hot pepper sauce on the side. Another person like their buckwheat pancakes. The server was very helpful (we like his explanation of French-style omelets).
(3)
James P.

Our group got there early for brunch and luckily missed the hordes and were seated right away. The people of Portland love their brunch spots and I understand why this is one of their top spots. The food, service, and prices were all good and made for a great morning option.
(4)
Stephanie R.

Food quality was very good. Loved the sausage hash special and the cinnamon French toast! Buttermilk pancakes were ok. Fresh squeezed orange and grapefruit juice and homemade Marion berry jam were delish! Knocking off a star since the service was just ok.
(4)
Kim A.

Service was good and personable. Very good black coffee--fair trade, if that's important to you. Fresh local tomatoes as a side to redwood omelet were delicious. Light, fluffy, non-greasy omelet was filled with goat cheese, green onion and meaty bacon cooked perfectly. Plate wasn't huge, but satiating and didn't leave me needing more food than what was served. Well done.
(4)
Paul W.

Best breakfast I've had yet in Portland! The Oyster Omelette is the dish to get, but come early or call first to make sure it's not already sold out. If you're like me and don't dig eggs off a greasy grill, you'll love their fluffy French-style prep. Most of the morning eateries I've tried in Ptown seem to be serving up super starchy hangover helper dishes, but not this place. They serve up lean, clean, gourmet cuisine as good as I ever had in Paris, but with a Ptown flair. Can't recommend this place highly enough. And oh yeah, they do Jazz at night, of course!
(5)
Golden B.

Great breakfast cafe with a toned down hipster crowd. The food was four stars and I was very impressed with my service. If you want hearty, healthy, flavorful breakfast options this place is fantastic. And then, after breakfast you can take a walk on the waterfront!
(4)
Jackie B.

We hit up Bijou Cafe for breakfast on our last day in Portland, primarily because it was close by and Mother's was closed. I have to say I'm not a huge breakfast person. Don't get me wrong - I love breakfast, but I'm much more likely to cook this meal at home as opposed to eating it at a restaurant. On the recommendations of the waiter, I ordered it the Mushroom and Egg omelet with the salad. Both were good. The eggs were VERY cheesy, but when I doused them in hot sauce it cut a bit of the richness and made it tolerable. My boyfriend ordered the oyster scramble/hash dish. He said it was OK (I just tried a bite - not a huge onion fan and there were LOADS of onion in his dish), but he wasn't very enthusiastic. Maybe our tastebuds were worn out from a long weekend of nonstop eating. Our friends both ordered dishes with meat and seemed very happy with the meal. Perhaps this is a good pick if you eat meat, but if you are vegetarian, perhaps pick a different restaurant.
(3)
P B.

Our son told us about this place and it's now one of our favorites. The wait staff is attentive and friendly. Moderate prices, but really different tasty breakfast dishes and great coffee! Sunday AM is the best prior to 10:00 to avoid the crowd.
(5)
Julia W.

From the grilled tofu bahn mi to the home made biscuits and gravy with ham that rated like they smoked their own pig, this place has totally blown my mind and ruined most other breakfast places, and shown me what real food is supposed to taste like. How can I go back to smuckers from a plastic cube when the sticky sweet fresh taste of their home made blackberry preserve slathered all over a piece of toast or just on my fork sends me paroxysms of happiness? How can I eat another bite of smushy greasy chorizo and eggs when I can have their home made firm juicy bites of delight? I think I'll have to move here, or take you with me!
(5)
Kate H.

Mediocre for Portland. Decor feels like a before picture on restaurant impossible - this place has no personality. My breakfast was greasy. Can definitely do better in the neighborhood for same or less money.
(3)
Dan W.

This place has a very mom and pop feel to it which is cool. The service is fast and super friendly. I had the house-made chorizo, sauteed potatoes, roasted red peppers & two eggs over easy. There was a gracious amount of chorizo which was good.
(4)
Joanne Y.

Unfortunately the food wasn't very good. Dry, somewhat acidic tasting fried chicken, cornmeal pancakes just kind of blah (and not very cornmealy). Freshly squeezed OJ was nice. Good and friendly service.
(2)
Susan B.

As if the French omelette with bacon, green onion and smoked Gouda or the brioche French toast weren't lipsmackingly satisfying enough, we chalked up the bliss we felt from our Present's Day breakfast at Bijou Cafe to the one and only waitperson, Eve. She was authentic and welcoming and took our culinary fun to a whole new level. Eve rocks and so does Cafe Bijou!
(5)
Lindsay F.

Loved this place! Very cute and Portland with some excellent food. We got the sausage hash, lattes, French toast, and a biscuit. All were delicious. Wait on a Saturday morning at 10:30 was about 15 mins. Not bad at all!
(4)
Brittanie M.

It was nice to walk in and get seated right away on a Sunday brunch prime time! No wait, worked for me! The menu was fair. Even as a vegetarian there were still several options available that I had a tough time deciding what to order. I ended up with the mushroom omelet, served with roasted potatoes and a lemon poppyseed muffin. I feel like a lot of breakfast places don't actually muffins, let alone delicious ones, and served automatically with your meal. Score! Though the rest of the food was good, it was nothing to write home about. Not that I write home anyway.
(3)
Crystal R.

We came on a Sunday morning looking for something local. It had a wait but nothing major, but as we were leaving the wait was pretty long. I got the French Toast which wasn't that great. One piece was super gooey in the middle and like cake batter. My boyfriend got the biscuits and gravy which was pretty tasty. The coffee was great, but the waitress had an attitude and was super transactional and wouldn't ever fill my coffee all the way. She'd give me half a cup and run off without ever talking to us. Never asked us how our food was and was very transactional. The hostess was Nice though.
(2)
Sarah L.

Don't order the quesadilla, it comes on three corn tortillas with overly cumined salsa and bland mole for $9. It's the kind of meal you make at home when you're feeling too lazy to cook, and even at home you feel disappointed. My dining partner got the bacon wrapped egg on a biscuit with chimichurri, visually appealing but not amazing according to him, the egg was hard poached and chimichurri flavorless. The blueberry muffin I heard was a life changer, and the pancakes looked good too. Maybe stick to those. Service is slow so prepare accordingly.
(2)
Gabrielle M.

It was a Sunday around brunch time, this place was very busy, we just so happened to be able to sit up at the bar! Very nice bartender, he whipped me up a fantastic blood orange, vodka concoction! I ordered the beef hash with 2 eggs, it was great! Definitely be back next time I'm in Portland!
(5)
Andrej R.

Had the Olympic provision brunch...gravy - interesting consistency interesting taste. Homemade biscuits - can't tell the difference tasted like store bought. I don't mean to be so negative but this was just an overall disappointing meal. There was just no flavor. I don't usually rate things but the waiter didn't ask how it was so I thought I would tell ya'll. They were out of Ham which was substituted by sausage, that was fine. Overall, not worth waiting for on a Sunday morning.
(1)
Mark P.

It's the little things that set really good restaurants apart from the competition. In Bijou's case, we're talking about ketchup. That's right, ketchup. The condiment closely associated with hamburgers and french fries. It's homemade, organic, and served in a little glass jar with a spoon for scooping. Thick, luscious, and slightly sweet, the ketchup proved to be the perfect accompaniment to my crispy fried potatoes. If they sold it on the premises, I'd probably buy a case of the stuff. I suppose I should talk about the actual food, though... We arrived at 11 AM on a Friday, so thankfully, there was no wait to contend with as you'd expect on a busy weekend. We were seated right away, as a matter of fact. My wife ordered coffee, and it was smooth and delicious, a blend from Cafe Vitta, right down the block next to Voodoo Doughnut. I opted for a Bloody Mary, as I'm on a quest to find the best in town, and theirs was pretty good, though not quite worthy of the top spot. The pickled green bean and salted rim were nice touches. I'm a sucker for hash (not that kind!), so I chose the Olympic Provisions chorizo with roasted red peppers and two eggs over easy. The potatoes were cut into larger and thicker pieces than you usually find in a hash, but I wasn't complaining (see above: ketchup). I was a little disappointed in the chorizo, as it lacked seasoning; I hate when chefs are afraid of a little salt and pepper. This was easily remedied, though. The eggs were cooked perfectly - cutting into the yolk yielded a nice, creamy, golden stream of deliciousness that accented the other ingredients. Good stuff! My wife ordered the Mushroom and Bravo Cheddar French omelette (fluffy; made with egg whites only) that was light, airy, and delicious. For some reason she went with the green salad on the side, rather than potatoes, which meant fewer ketchup opportunities. She also chose a muffin, and ended up with a moist, tasty apple muffin that turned out to be the perfect size. Service was friendly and efficient. This is a great breakfast/brunch spot committed to serving locally produced and grown foods, in a convenient spot close to the waterfront. I'll definitely return!
(4)
Craig L.

Sunday brunch around 12:00, waited two minutes. Another great Portland breakfast amid eclectic group of diners. We ordered from daily specials, green chorizo hash for me, wife had Panko crusted zucchini with roasted asparagus, snap peas, egg with awesome chimichurri sauce. Both dishes were great, she loved her choice. Service was spot on and atmosphere pleasant. Thanks again yelp for directing out of town folk to great Portland establishment.
(5)
Walter S.

Had the adobo slow-cooked pork with grits and a poached egg. The texture on those grits was immaculate, and the pork was flavorful and perfectly cooked. I stole a biscuit off a friend's plate. Hands down the best I've ever had.
(5)
Amy N.

Location: Good; Cleanliness: Great; Friendliness: Good; Timeliness: Could be better; Food quality: OK; Price: Moderate; Ordered: Brioche French toast and local cider. I was seated promptly, but the hostess seemed a little bummed that I wanted a table instead of the bar, since I was by myself. Then, it took awhile for the waitress to come. Finally, I ordered. The order took awhile. The French toast was OK. I mean, it's better than I could make, but that honestly isn't saying much. There wasn't anything incredibly unique or outstanding about it. If you are looking for that, go to Mother's. It was closed at the time of writing this, but hopefully it will be back open soon! It took a really long time to get the waitress to come back to take my payment. That wasn't fun; I had to eavesdrop on a very.disinteresting conversation while waiting. I would recommend coming here if you are looking for decent food and have a lot of time. I would never come here if you are in a rush.
(4)
Anna B.

We waited a very long time for our food. People who came after us got their food about 15 minutes before us. The regular coffee was not good. The special bacon wrapped 2 eggs was tasty. Fried chicken was perfectly crispy.
(3)
Kyle D.

Great food, delicious oysters. Service took forever and they had the nerve to bring our check 5 minutes into our meal. That is just rude. The kitchen deserves the tip, not the servers.
(3)
Marina P.

Horrible service. Food was alright. Prices were alright. Was excited about this place, but not anymore. The best thing I tried- fresh grapefruit juice!
(3)
Jesse W.

Only had to wait about 15 minutes on Sunday at ~11am. There were so many yummy sounding things on the menu, but I decided to go with the Redwood Hill omelette. It was cheesy and bacony as advertised. The potatoes were sauteed nicely and tasted great with the red/green hot sauces and homemade ketchup. I chose the Apple Spiced muffin and my server brought it out first because it was the last one. I was really happy he did that because the muffin was fantastic! My wife had the oyster sandwich, which she enjoyed although we both agreed that it might have been better with something other than ciabatta bread. Good food and great service. Would definitely come back again to try out the other things on the menu!
(5)
Andrew B.

Well, I remembered this place to be much better! Cafeteria quality food, will not be back.
(2)
Michael C.

A mere 3 blocks away from the famous Voodoo donuts is this wonderful sit down breakfast/brunch spot. There is also a bar area where you can be seated for quick dining. I came here with several friends on a Sunday morning and the wait time was approximately 30 minutes. The menu is short and sweet, which I prefer, but you can pretty much request anything special that you would like. The draw here would be their French Omelettes and their Hashes. I tried their French Omelette with NY Oysters and mushrooms and a side of Chicken Sausage, which were awesome! my friends were also impressed with their dishes as well, the hash also came out pretty well too. Service was pretty reasonable 15-20 minutes from ordering we were all served. In comparison to Mother's Bistro, I have to say I was more impressed with the value and portions here. The wait time was also fairly manageable. I would gladly come back here over Mother's.
(4)
Sudipto G.

Another Sunday another brunch place! Oysters made into hash, never knew that was possible, but really enjoyed it... towards the end of my dish was a bit unsure whether this made the best use of the flavor of oysters, but still.. really like the food.. and the atmosphere is great too..
(4)
Jennifer H.

Food was good. But unless you like to twittle your thumbs for an hour to wait for your food don't bother. (The coffee even took over 20 minutes after ordered) You know it's bad when you try to pay and leave and you can't get your card back from your waitress. Still waiting on my card after 30 minutes.
(1)
Fred L.

Bijou,I love you. You're everything I want in a cafe. You're always there; what has it been now? 20 years? More? Seems like forever. And I like that. As much as I love your consistency, it's your sense of adventure and daring that turns me on. The way you put together tastes and styles, you're truly original. And no matter whether I'm by myself or with a group of friends, you always treat me the same. You're friendly and helpful even when you've got a line out the door. I know that some other Yelpers have been a little hard on you lately so I just wanted to say keep up the good food and service and our relationship will last as long as you'll have me.
(4)
John W.

Food is excellent. Service is very poor. The food is 5 stars hands down. It took 15 minutes for the waitress to come buy for drinks. She was not able to take our order even then. It was another 4 minutes for that. After that all was well. Slow service may be on par for the region. I am not a local, but for me I would of walked out if I was in my home town.
(4)
Claire P.

This place is great!! they treat you like family and is a real cozy place to eat at. i would recomend this to everyone! they can be busy at times(which tells you very popular and good place) but you never have to wait to long. try the beet salad and buiscits and gravy! customer service---5stars
(5)
Mad A.

I'm giving 3 stars and feel that's generous. Breakfast service at 10am on a Monday was very slow, sat down at the counter and couldn't even get eye contact with a server for 10 minutes even though many of them walked back and forth in front of me. Was thinking of leaving but was rescued; turned out after the wait the food was only fair. Biscuits with gravy, ham, and 2 eggs ($14) way overpriced considering the gravy was very bland and uninspired. Really disappointing. Biscuits and gravy lovers should go elsewhere -- Bijou doesn't come close to Mother's, Screen Door, Arleta Library, etc..
(3)
Julie D.

Best breakfast I've had so far in Portland. Fluffy, tasty omelette with a cup of hot, hard cider. Can't really beat that. Our server was warm and welcoming and we didn't have to wait long for a table. We'll be back soon for the oyster dish - which they were out of that day.
(5)
Chris H.

It's really not that hard to prepare a good breakfast/brunch. If Elmers can manage it, surely the Bijou can too? Apparently not. I ordered the fried-oyster hash with an egg on top. Sounds good, doesn't it? I love oysters and It's prime oyster season, but these oysters tasted like thick dry breading. The potatoes were not hash, but big tasteless dry, yet oily, slightly burned chunks. No seasonings, not even salt and pepper. Though I tried to save this meal by applying salt, pepper, and hot sauce, there was no salvation. My dining partner also ordered oysters, but he got the oyster sandwich. It was a disaster. It was so soupy with messy coleslaw, that his plate resembled a soup bowl. It totally saturated the roll it was served on as well as the homemade potato chips. That would have been a shame, but the potato chips were so cold, thick, and greasy that it just didn't matter anyway. He couldn't even taste the oysters for all of the bread and breading. We also ordered the brussels sprouts and cauliflower so we could have a vegetable. These were deep-fried and cold and totally saturated with oil. We've had good fried cauliflower elsewhere and we love brussels sprouts, so these were especially disappointing. While the service was generally efficient and friendly, they never asked how the food was. They just asked if we were done "working on it" and didn't seem at all surprised when we left more than half of it on our plates. We left with a thick greasy feeling in our mouths, but still hungry because we couldn't bring ourselves to finish the food. All of the food tasted as if it suffered from being prepped far ahead of time. The consolation is that there are many good restaurants in Portland, so we don't need to ever go back here again, but this was certainly our most disappointing dining experience of 2014.
(2)
Christina L.

Redwood Hill Smoked Goat Cheddar with Bacon & Green Onions: This French-style omelette meal was $13. I am told that everything from this place is organic. The orange juice tasted fresh and had pulp in it, the berry muffin (possibly raspberry or cranberry? not quite sure...) was amazing, the omelette and potatoes were wonderfully textured and almost creamy even. Big place with small tables. My aunt ordered the House-Made Carlton Pork Sausage & Eggs but presentation-wise, it looks better than my dish, so I decided to include it. I did not taste it, but the entire dish was $10, and my aunt said the eggs, potatoes, and sausage all tasted very fresh and delicious, like nothing she's ever eaten before.
(4)
Megan H.

This was my first top on my Portland food bender and it was a good opening meal. Not huge portions, but just enough for a brunch. I got the oyster hash since it was a highlight and I'm glad I did. The corn meal batter nicely balanced oyster flavor and it was fried crisp without any excess oil. Surprisingly light for a deep fried entree. My friend got the achiote pork hominy. All I can say is hominy is weird. It's like dense corn, even dryer than a bean. We were both pretty thrown off by this texture and wouldn't order it again. Otherwise, the pork was tender but we left the hominy on the plate.
(3)
Rebecca F.

Wow! What amazing food! My daughters and I went for late breakfast and it was so wonderful. The poached eggs with bacon and chimmichuri were amazing. My daughter's biscuits and gravy was fantastic and my other daughters eggs with harissa were scrumptous. We just loved our experience there. Thank you so much.
(4)
Harsh K.

Great fried oyster hash, not traditional in that the potatoes were a bit chunky, but the oysters were giant and perfectly fried in a cornmeal batter. Really delicious. The waitress was super friendly, and the cocktails were good too. We'll definitely be back next time we're in portland
(4)
Kylie L.

Oyster Hash! yelp.com/user_local_photâ€¦ Just get that! It's large enough for 2 people to share. I also had toast with Marionberry jam, because I wasn't feeling too well yelp.com/user_local_photâ€¦ . Sarah L. and I shared both of those and were satisfied. I've gone to Portland twice this year, and ate here during both of those trips. So good! The waitresses are extremely friendly! What's not to like?
(5)
Breniel L.

We were waiting in line for brunch at another location around the corner, but they were taking too long to get us seated so we came here. I had the roast beef hash and it was fantastic. The beef was nice and tender and the sautÃ©ed onions were soft and flavorful. I normally do not eat onions, but I ate all of the onions on my plate. The service here was great. The waitress we had answered all our questions and they let my friends put their luggage on the side of the wall that was visible. When I come to Portland again, I am definitely coming back.
(4)
Mary Y.

We were excited to try this restaurant because it had great reviews. I got the special which was the fried buttermilk chicken and waffles with roasted pepper jam. I asked for the jam on the side and glad I did because the flavor of the jam was too over-powering. The order came with 2 large pieces of waffles with leg and thigh. I cut into the chicken and unfortunately, found hair in it. The waitress took it back and returned with with 1 chicken breast. I'm not a huge fan of chicken breast but it was their last piece so I had no other choice. The chicken was okay but I have had better, I think it was just lacking some flavor. Fortunately, the breast wasn't dry which is always a big worry for me. Cute place to enjoy breakfast and lunch and service was alright.
(3)
Jen G.

I have been here twice -- both times that I have been in Portland. It is cute cafe with good food. I had the cauliflower and kale hash the last time I was here. There portions are really big! Don't forget to check out the specials on the chalk board. They are easy to miss.
(4)
Jimin K.

We ordered fried chicken steak with pancakes and biscuits. It was sooooo good!! And its organic!
(5)
Tom T.

A nice place to have breakfast in a cool old building. Service was friendly and prompt. Food was above average.
(4)
Miya A.

Oyster omelette. :)
(5)
Elijah H.

Ate here for brunch. Expect to wait a little bit because this is one of the more popular breakfast joints in town. The menu is very diverse, full of creative options. I had the roast beef hash it was pretty good, the beef was a little dry but very flavorful. I also tried the kale and cauliflower hash and it was very delicious. Overall, good place for breakfast/brunch
(4)
Ed L.

I've been going to the Bijou for over 20 years. It and the Cadillac Cafe are my favorite spots in town for breakfast. The Bijou can do a scrambled egg, bacon and potatoes better than anyone in town. I realize that sounds odd given those three things are so simple. But, cooking an egg correctly is actually quite a skill. To have a fluffy, not over done, flavorful scrambled egg is a wonderful thing. I also love the omelette of the day, usually, and most muffins. Good coffee. Good service.
(4)
Nicole C.

This restaurant is mediocre at best, and I will not be returning. The good: Our server was very friendly and helpful when his attention could be caught. He gave me his honest opinion about two dishes I was debating between, which I really appreciated. Additionally, we only had to wait about 10 minutes for a table for four people on a Saturday morning. The mediocre: The food. I ordered a chorizo hash, which was (thankfully) not nearly as spicy as I had anticipated. I'll admit that the potatoes were done well, but the dish, as a whole, was on the bland side. Serving sizes were generous, but I felt that the menu was a bit eclectic and restricted yet expensive for what it was. One person in the party ordered granola and yogurt, which ended up being over $12. She did say that it was the best granola she's ever had, but really?!?! $12 for granola and yogurt? The bad: Parking is a pain. We ended up parking quite far away. Also, service was extremely slow, and despite repeated attempts to flag our server down, he was simply not paying attention, possibly because the restaurant was understaffed. I was hoping to really like this place, but alas, I was disappointed. Portland is a city with fantastic breakfast and brunch options, and I'll be exploring those other restaurants.
(2)
Meghan C.

I've visited for breakfast several times, as its one of my favorite breakfast stops. With ingredients locally sourced, one days meal might include locally foraged mushrooms (especially chanterelles), or blackberries and poached pears. Their oyster hash, and variety of breakfast hashes are perfectly prepared and tasty. When I first visited many years ago, the chef refused substitutions for allergies, however they are now very accommodating.
(5)
Elaine P.

I hate, repeat, hate waiting in line to enter a restaurant. If there's a line, i will not go, and will find someplace else, otherwise I'll get very cranky very very fast. So read this review with that in mind. In this case, the hostess told us it would take 15 minutes, tops to get in. She claimed that a "mass exodus" was likely to occur soon. My friend wanted to stay, so what could I do? I was stuck there so I had to grin and bear it. The gross patrons would stretch around you to add their names to the "list" in the line. They would hover around you staring at "the list." There was a funny smell coming from somewhere, apparently food, which added to the displeasure of waiting. But I waited, and suddenly 15 minutes turned into 30. We were 4th in line, when the ditzy hostess announced that there were two seats available at the bar, and a very obnoxious couple, far below us on "the list", said "we'll take it!" It was so fast that by the time I protested, and explained that we were further up "the list" than they. The hostess responded with: "Well, what can I do now?" At that point I had enough and walked out and will never return.
(2)
Diana C.

The food is pretty good, but nothing exceptional. Our serve was nice, friendly, and helpful. She gave us recommendations on the menu and made sure we always had enough water/juice/coffee. We didn't have to wait longer than 5 minutes on a Sunday morning for a table and the food was relatively quick to come out. Overall the food was nothing special, I agree with a previous reviewer that their brioche french toast was nothing special (e.g. you can make it yourself at home) and they wouldn't let us do half and half like some other people were able to get. I just got the bacon and eggs and again it was okay, but nothing extraordinary. Their OJ is organic fresh squeezed though!
(3)
Greg S.

This is a fantastic place to eat. The service is stellar, the food is delicious. Found it on yelp and will return next time in Portland.
(5)
Dani K.

If you want awful service and mediocre food, this is your place. Trying to get a refill of coffee or water is almost impossible. I ordered the French toast, and it was the worst French toast I've ever had. It was literally just toast. It was super try and very bland. The people with me ordered an omelet and the pancakes with fried chicken. They said the food was subpar. And the killer is the food is super expensive. Avoid this place.
(1)
Anna F.

Had the mushroom cheddar omelette with potatoes and toast. The omelette was light fluffy and soft and the best way possible. Potatoes were very hearty without being greasy and they bring you local organic jam and ketchup in little jars to your table. The atmosphere is very light and open with lots of windows and mirrors and the service was great. Very satisfied!
(5)
Zoraida D.

Came here for breakfast because Mother's Bistro was closed and what a surprise! This place is awesome! Everything organic and home grown. Flavors were great service excellent and menu items unique.
(5)
Caroline Q.

Four of us recently tried Bijou CafÃ© on a rainy Saturday morning. We arrived at 8:45 AM right before the morning rush. Around 9:00/9:15 AM was when it really started to get busy. Everyone is seated in one big open room. I ordered the vegetable hash and it was fresh, flavorful, and was seasoned with harissa. I typically order egg whites, but that is not an option at the Bijou CafÃ©. However, the hash was still delicious with the over easy egg. Two others in our group ordered another hash and were very pleased with their order as well. The fourth person ordered the biscuits and gravy with eggs and thought the gravy complemented the biscuits quite well. With this group we tend to order an 'extra dish' or appetizer at restaurants we have not yet tried. We opted for the French toast as we had ready may positive reviews on Yelp. We ordered half brioche and half cinnamon and it was nothing special. It seemed a bit bland for my liking and the brioche was not as thick as I (or the others) would have liked. All in all, we had a wonderful time; however, per no egg white option and especially the French toast not being anything 'fancy' (ie different than what I make at home), I am giving the Bijou CafÃ© 4 stars. If I could give a half star, I would have put 3.5 stars/5 stars.
(4)
Matthew H.

Just had a really terrible experience with cauliflower and kale hash. The "over easy" eggs came in a less than "easy" state, easily 70% of the egg had no evidence of ever being exposed to heat, liquid whites running all over the food. When I asked for the eggs to be redone, the server tersely replied, "that's what an over easy egg looks like." No ma'am, no it doesn't. In addition to the terrible eggs and terrible service, the hash had two approximately six inch long hairs in it. And the pumpkin seed mole quesadilla isn't nearly as good as it was the last time I got it.
(2)
Eve K.

The omelette was excellent as was the fresh-squeezed red grapefruit juice. (They were out of OJ.) The pear salad was disappointing, with very little and bland mascarpone and the pears were not very sweet. The side potatoes were not bad, but kind of dry with not much going on there.
(3)
Paulla M.

How can one rate if one never gets served. Seated at 12:00 pm. left at 1:00 pm without so much as a piece of toast. Yes, the folks next to us that sat down at 12:30 were happily eating by 12:45. Note to manager: think about numbering the orders so they come out of the kitchen accordingly.
(1)
Michael C.

Overall, our brunch experience at Bijou Cafe was extremely disappointing. Their menu looked promising online, but neither of our dishes was very good at all. Moreover, we waited a while to be seated and then still longer to even be given water, let alone our meal itself. Then, once we were nearly finished our brunch, the single side pancake we'd ordered *finally* arrived; but, it was completely undercooked to the point that fully wet batter poured out when my wife cut into it. Oh, and the special "marionberry lemonade" was terrible. We actually saw the bartender make it by filling a glass with tap water, squeezing in a few lemon slices, and then adding a dollop of raspberry jam and stirring. There are much better brunch restaurants in Portland. Not only was the food bad and the wait long, but the atmosphere overall was rather low-end given similarly-priced brunch spots only a few minutes away. Our experience might have been a fluke, but I don't see us going back.
(2)
Alex B.

This is a place for delicate palettes. #1 gripe = bland potatoes not cooked to crispiness. Throw some rosemary or garlic salt on there... they're potatoes! My omelette was skimpy on the goat cheddar and the fancy bacon was not salty enough. I try not to get too subjective but anytime I've had a french omelette the regular goat cheese beat this goat cheddar they use hands down. Plenty of green onions. Oh, and I'm usually not a fan of homemade ketchup but theirs was crazy good, especially on the omelette. It saved the day and pushed me from 3ish to 4 stars. Coffee was excellent.
(4)
Olia S.

The food was really fresh and really flavored, healthy yummy breakfast.. But it took a while to get our checks unfortunately.
(4)
Double D.

Significantly overpriced food. Very rude waitstaff and snobby rude owner named Eve. I will not be coming back and I suggest you visit Mothers bistro a few blocks away, much more bang for your buck and much better service. This business is operating in the Ol times where speed and friendly service has no precedence. There were also flys everywhere inside and during my meal a female cook came and kissed another female having lunch next to me. Very awkward, not classy and terrible experience altogether. I will never return here or suggest this place
(1)
Joanna F.

Bustling, cute breakfast place. The hostess was nowhere to be found, so we had to figure out ourselves that we had to write our name on a list. We waited about 20 minutes and then got a nice window seat. I got the kale and cauliflower hash and my husband got the chorizo hash. Both were great, but didn't blow me away. I would come back to try something else.
(4)
Kari G.

Like most brunch places on a Sunday morning, there was a long line to get a table so when there were open spots at the breakfast bar area, we jumped at the chance! Bijou has lovely tall windows lining the front of the restaurant which made for an excellent morning of lingering over breakfast while people watching. The food was delicious. I got the chicken and waffles special of the day, my mom got an omelette and we shared the special fruit compote. I picture a "compote" as being a little syrupy but it ended up being a big bowl of blackberries topped with whipped cream. Either way, it was delicious! The waffles were light and fluffy and the chicken had a very yummy breading on it. One of the best parts of Bijou was its great location. Its right next to Stumptown Coffee, just down from VooDoo Donuts, across the street from the Keep Portland Weird sign, and just a few blocks from the waterfront Saturday Market. (Even better, it was a block away from our hotel!) Bijou made a great stop in a packed morning!
(4)
T H.

Checked this place out a week ago. In reading reviews I saw tips to show up early. We arrived 10 minutes early and were the 2nd group in line. Quickly a line formed and we heard from those around us that they were locals. I knew then we were in for a treat. If locals are willing to show up early and wait in line the food must be worth it. Staff was nice, busy with all the people but the food was great. If you need to keep warm while you wait, send a friend next door to stump town for some coffee.
(4)
Kristin S.

We had breakfast here in our last day in Portland, and just like everything we had, it was also delicious. This place focused on the quality of the food. I had a zucchini inlet with goat cheese. It was so light and delicious. I was full after I left since it came with potatoes and bread. The coffee was also really good. Highly recommend!
(5)
Gazelle P.

Great breakfast. Interesting Hash with roasted cauliflower, potatoes, olives, red bell peppers, feta and two eggs. Can't believe I ate the whole thing!! Great service, too!
(5)
Scott P.

This was our first visit. Food was good, but not exceptional. Ours came out after a few other guest's that arrived well after us and the orders were not correct. When we we asked about the timing of our orders the server said it was typical Portland slow food. Maybe just a bad day, but still disappointing.
(3)
Linda C.

Stopped off here for lunch before heading to the Saturday Market. Not my favorite part of town but this place is a diamond in the rough. Nice, spacious seating area with additional counter seating. We ordered: - Pumpkin seed molÃ© quesadilla with a side of sauteed potatoes (tasty) - Tomato, basil and feta omelette with green salad and baguette (absolutely delicious!!) Fresh ingredients and good-sized portions. Friendly, attentive service. Loved the jasmine green tea (no tea bags served here) and hubby enjoyed a beer (limited selection but better than nothing). We thoroughly enjoyed our lunch here and would come back again. Recommended!
(4)
Nina B.

Really wanted to see what the fuss was about, but unfriendly staff stopped us cold with "no seating available" as we stared at an empty table with chairs. Too bad
(2)
Eddie H.

This place cooks very average food at best. Came here today on a Sunday because it was one of the few open places. It's like the cooks are forbidden from using any seasoning. The potatoes were tasteless, the farmers omelet was tasteless, the grilled onion was tasteless AND the toast was over cooked. I'm full, but still hungry. Know what I mean?
(2)
Shawn P.

Food was decent, on my hash I had one cooked and one very clearly raw egg. The hash was good and I was starving so I ate around it and brought it to the servers attention. He told me it was "French style" and it was common there. So if French style means improperly cooked and that's your thing check out the hash. The pancakes and other items were good and teas, coffee helped save this breakfast but not impressed.
(3)
Momo B.

EXCEPTIONAL TASTING COFFEE FOLLOWING LUNCH Ordered their Roasted Chicken Cheddar Cheese Enchilada and Oyster Hash at the counter which found it's way into our tummies quicker than those waiting for a table.
(4)
Sheila E.

While working with a business associate across the street at the Embassy Suites, we needed to grab a quick lunch and decided to try Bijou Cafe. Even though it was noon (on a Weds.) we were able to get a table right away, and were seated at a table next to a window (which was nice, because it was a beautiful sunny day). I ordered the mushroom and cheddar omelette, side salad and dry wheat toast and I have to say, for a simple omelette, it was delicious! The server told me that this particular omelette was normally cooked on the lighter side (meaning is would be a little a runny), and I told her to ask the chef to cook the omelette a little longer than he normally would, so it would be more solid. (*I thought it was nice that she told me before hand, how they normally cook the omelette, in case I wanted it firmer). The salad was perfect - just greens and light dressing and the toast was just right (not sure what kind of bread they use). Our service was also outstanding. We were greeted as we walked in, and the server who waited on us was friendly, helpful, and refilled our water glasses (as well as iced tea) before we needed to ask. It also didn't take long to get our food, which was great, since we didn't want to be gone long. I will definitely be back for brunch or lunch in the future (and probably order the same thing, because I liked it so much). If you are looking for a good place for breakfast (brunch) or lunch and are near the corner of 3rd and Pine, drop in - totally worth it.
(4)
Lina W.

My husband and I shared the fried oyster has and buttermilk pancakes for brunch two days ago. The oyster hash is to die for if you love oysters because the ingredients in this dish were very fresh and well prepared. The seasoning on the hash was just right and flavorful. I wish I could have ordered another one of this dish before I left Portland. Buttermilk pancakes here were great because I can really taste the creaminess of cakes. Maple syrup was totally legit and not too sweet like Aunt Jemima's. The house made raspberry-strawberry compote that was not too sweet and not too tart paired very well with the buttermilk pancakes. Coffee was dark, silky, and had deep chocolate flavor -- loved it. Orange juice and grapefruit juice were fresh squeezed and had a lot of pulp. We loved our server, "Eve the Terrible." She was attentive and funny. She gave us underground tips on eats and scene around Portland.
(4)
Bill K.

I used to really like this place, but they have lost their way. On a recent visit I had the special of chicken and corn cakes, and it took freakin' forever for the order to come out. Now, if the place was busy that would be one thing, but the joint was totally empty. What could have possibly taken so long? The chicken was just a fried leg...burnt on the outside and bloody on the inside and the pancakes were just ordinary. A totally bland, un-filling brunch for $14 (plus another 9 for a so-so mimosa). And some snarky attitude to boot. Oh well.
(1)
P M.

We are from California and found were this place on Yelp. It's popular for a reason. The breakfast recipes are unique and the portions are just the right size. My omelet had goat cheese and local bacon - what a delight! My salad had a dressing that was obviously made in house. My only two complaints are the long wait and the Bloody Mary recipe that is way too salty and had too much of everything. Couldn't finish it.
(5)
Kathy C.

Great food. Eggs were perfect. The sausage was amazing. You can tell everything is homemade. The only hiccup was they had a hard time substituting for gluten free.
(4)
Tarah B.

Went on a Sunday morning and only had to wait about 20 minutes. The food was great! Got the farmers omelette and it was delicious!! The service was great. Food was a little pricey but the food was great! Definitely recommend
(4)
Liz M.

This was our first stop on our trip to Portland. Somehow or another we showed up at the right time and beat the rush though it didn't seem like it...the waitresses seemed to be in a rush all the time. Had the Oyster Hash which was DE-FREAKING-LICIOUS. I could have that stuff every morning forever! The serving size was wonderful - just enough to make me full, but not stuffed. Wish there was a place like this around my parts :(
(4)
Jill H.

Too busy at another restaurant and we overheard someone mention the Bijou. We ran over to this place and could....not...have been happier. We sat at the counter and we had menus in hand before even sitting down. Drinks were yummy and hot. By the time the food arrived we already knew we were going to love the place. The lady behind the counter was a Seahawks fan, so we knew we'd get along just fine...and she was awesome to chat with. Food was super hot and fast. The omelettes were great. The potatoes were good too....Needed a little salt but when don't they? I was happy, full and out of there in 30 minutes. Will come back next time I'm in town.
(5)
Heather H.

Visited here around 11:45 on a Monday morning. It was decently busy, as any brunch place should be in Portland at that time. I had the oyster hash, it was good, unique and delicious. I also very much enjoyed the fresh squeezed grapefruit juice and a nice cup of English breakfast tea. While the food was enjoyable, the service most certainly was not. We had an older grey haired server who didn't even greet us until 10 minutes after we were seated, and even then it was from a distance and she couldn't be bothered to make eye contact. She seemed overly inconvenienced by her four tables, never checked in on us, and was just not personable at all. I will probably give it another try, just hopefully I get a different server.
(3)
Kip L.

Never miss the opportunity while in Portland to enjoy breakfast at the Bijou. The brioche French Toast satisfy's all the taste buds. If you do oysters do their hash. Service is always comfortable with a smile no matter how many are waiting in line. Do it and be happy!
(5)
Jennifer R.

Ate here with family prior to an all-day trip at Powell's. My aunt had the fried oyster hash and was not a fan (she is sensitive to spicy food and disliked the spiciness in the oyster breading), so my sister wound up devouring it (she loves spicy food). My cousin had the two eggs and bacon and seemed happy with it. I had the mushroom and bravo cheddar omelet and wasn't terribly enthused; I prefer my mushrooms very, very browned and caramelized and these were steamed, rather than anything else. It tasted very nice, just wasn't what I was imagining. My mother had the winning dish, the cowboy steak with borlotti beans, chimichurri, and an egg over easy; the dish comes with chorizo, but the kitchen kindly removed it at our request. The steak was rather more rare than I like (but perfectly to Mom's taste), the beans were done well, and the chimichurri was delicious. The lattes we ordered were also very well done, with excellently foamed milk. If we could, we'd go back before we leave Portland this Sunday.
(4)
Lena K.

Bijou is my go to easy brunch spot with delicious mimosas. They have orange, grapefruit and apple cider. Try the cider mimosa-you won't regret it. I've been here several times and I've realized it's their mimosas and fresh squeezed juices that keep me coming back. The food is good, too, but it's really their drinks, space and location that make me frequent this place. I like their omelettes and French toast. My husband likes their chorizo hash. The potatoes that come with my omelette are great and the ketchup they serve is not Heinz and you can tell. Their house made jam is delicious...It's the little things they do really well.
(4)
Cait S.

Long wait, decent food. My coworkers love this place, but it's not worth the wait! It's been there forever, and I think people are going off of what it used to be. There are better breakfast places in Portland.
(3)
William F.

My first visit was very disappointing. The service was slow and the food was not good. I ordered an omelet for brunch. Half of the potatoes were under cooked (nearly raw) and they were poorly seasoned. The eggs were a very odd consistency. My partner ordered a Cobb salad and only ate a few bites because it didn't seem fresh. I ate half of my meal, but I only did so to be polite. It was not enjoyable. I passed the restaurant several times over the weekend and there always seemed to be a crowd, so perhaps I just had a rare, bad experience.
(1)
P J.

Went there for breakfast. Sunday morning; yes, it was busy but not nuts. Dining alone so took a spot at the counter. Took 10 min to be acknowledged. When the waitress finally came by, no "Hi how are you" or "Be right there.." Was greeted with a warm "Im tied up right now." Made it easy for her and left. Next time maybe try offering a coffee or water, then the wait won't seem like an issue. Place obviously thinks it can get by on cute and quirky Portland vibe. Good luck with that.
(1)
Sumomo O.

5 stars for the service: this was probably the most friendly service I've had in any restaurant in any city. The wait staff chatted with me like we were old friends. I had the oyster hash. The 8 fresh, plump, cornmeal-coated oysters were perfectly seasoned and cooked. The potatoes were under-salted and the over-easy egg was over-hard. I'd still come back just to eat those oysters and for the friendly staff.
(4)
Tiffany B.

Breakfast in Portland is tough, the competition is high, we have many many great breakfast spots, but Bijou does it right! The wait will be 30+ minutes as with many bfast joints around town, and I will say it is worth it! I would wait an hour if need be to eat here again! Omelettes are my favorite bfast dish. My sweetie makes a mean french omelette (yes I am spoiled) ...but when we ate here, I had to say Bijou took his #1 spot! The eggs are so fluffy and the ingredients taste very fresh. No greasy breakfast here! And the potatoes taste great too, not overly salted like most are. And for your side... get the baguette...oh my crispy outer crust! Cancel your Sat morning plans and go to Bijou for breakfast, you won't regret it!!
(5)
Dusty B.

This is my new favorite Portland hotel. Cool people work here, the rooms are designed amazingly, the service is great, the hotel bar is great and the location is perfect. I would highly recommend it to family, friends and business associates.
(5)
Anna O.

Bloody awful. I was in Portland for a conference so often ending up by myself for meals. Yelp recommended highly so I showed up for Saturday brunch expecting that there might be a wait. They were moderately busy with a few customers waiting for tables. No host in sight. Then someone with a dirty towel showed up and made a grumpy noise and scratched out some name on the list. No greeting. No indication that this was in fact a host. He then ran off, and returned 5 minutes later only to call out a name and again completely ignore the new customers waiting to put their names down. By this time it was not just me. I asked if I could add my name and he made me repeat literally three times that I was in fact alone. Thank you for underscoring the inconvenience of serving one customer at a time. He asked in a very irritated voice whether I wanted to sit at the counter. Well sure that is what I do when I dine by myself in a very busy place so I said sure. He threw oiled menu on the table and put some silverware there too. So no place to put my pretty and clean purse: the stool has no back and the floor is littered with breadcrumbs and egg scramble. You know what I am not normally so picky. I have only modest concerns for cleanliness. But this was disgusting. Next to me a clearly homeless person with a thousand bags and 50 medication bottles which she was scattering every which way. Cool. Guess the place is democratic but have the decency to seat her somewhere more comfortable and help her out when she is obviously having a hard time. It was so godawful at this moment that despite what appeared to be beautiful and delicious food walking past my very hungry stomach, I had to walk out of there. Had a quiche at Maurice up on Oak street which though overpriced was delicious and came with decent coffee. Also it was f...ing clean. And the waiters did not act like I was a bother by existing even when it got busy. Never again. I really hope no other person makes the mistake of walking in here.
(1)
Rebecca M.

Very busy on a Saturday Brunch, but we were seated within about twenty minutes. The food was delicious. We had the oyster hash with eggs and the omelet with goat cheddar, green onions, and plenty of thick cut bacon.
(5)
Milena C.

Had the chanterelle and gruyere omelette which was a special. The omelette was great, but my cohort and I agree the potatoes were lackluster. The pressed cider was good and I wanted another glass, but our server didn't bother asking before she swiped my glass off the table. SC had the oyster omelette, but wasn't a fan of the fried oysters. The oysters are deep fried, but retain no crispiness and come off as mushy instead. Plus they do not carry Coke, which was a big minus to SC. Food was good, but service was questionable. She damn near scoffed when we asked about Coke. Our food took upwards of 20 minutes with minimal other patrons. Again, my cider was taken without a question. Now that I think about it, communication between us and the server was minimal at best. Maybe I'm just not hip enough for PDX.
(3)
Susan C.

French toast was amazing with REAL maple syrup & fresh marion berry syrup casual nice atmosphere located on the corner of S.W. 3rd & S.W. Pine with lots of windows
(5)
Jaben C.

I went in here on a whim when I found myself hungry for breakfast in downtown. I didn't really have a clue where to try out... I don't really eat breakfast out that often so I always get excited, but so many places are a real let down. I was with my daughter and we got seated promptly and got our initial beverages pretty much instantly it seemed. Their menu was nice in that it was long enough to be interesting, but not so long that I felt I was reading a chef's dissertation or anything intimidating like that... W each tried an omelet and even though I got the incorrect bread the meal was good, I changed what I wanted after ordering and that got missed, but they offered a free one to go... I declined. I will definitely come back when in downtown for breakfast...
(4)
Gemma H.

I've been to Bijou a handful of times before this morning and always enjoyed brunch. I typically ordered some kind of tofu/potato hash that ran ~$10 and was fully satisfied. Today, however, I was disappointed. Bijou changed their menu and now offers only one vegan option -- a fried tofu and parsley dish (seemed pretty minimal to me). I noticed they had a special consisting of yams, white beans, a cream sauce and 2 eggs, so I asked the waiter if I could replace the eggs with tofu, and hold the cream sauce. He happily obliged and said the tofu would be a side dish (although at first brought me the dish with eggs included). No matter. What I was not happy about was the bill! The special ran $12.50 and with the tofu on the side, my whole dish was $16.50. Sorry, but that was NOT worth it. I'm saving you the eggs and cream, and it's four dollars more than listed? Bijou, your food is delicious, but please be more substitute friendly!
(3)
Amie N.

First time in Portland, found and yelp and came in for breakfast. Cute space, lots of light, high ceilings, and friendly staff. If you don't want a wait, you are free to sit at the counter to eat. I got the redwood hill omelette, which was beautiful and tasted so fresh, and green tea. Tea was yummy, and it should be noted this is a tea bag free zone. I would definitely recommend stopping here.
(5)
Saint C.

This is the worst place I ever ate at. The food was cooked bad and the place stink like a sewer. Plus the over charged me for my bill. Avoid this place unless you want to waste your time.
(1)
Peter D.

I ordered the chorizo, eggs and potatoes for $14. Every single bite of the chorizo was gristle, which promptly went back on my plate. (Will they get the hint?) And the potatoes were just sautÃ©ed, not much else. There are much better restaurants here in Portland to go for brunch, and for a lot less! Thanks Bijou for grossing me out as well as everyone else. Blaaaach!
(1)
Brandon L.

The food has always been good at the Bijou. We have had good experiences with service. I brought my fiancÃ© and our family here this morning for her 25th birthday. We had a party of 7, waited for a table for an amount of time that was not unusual. We had some older people in our party and a diabetic child. My fiancÃ© checked with the hostess, Melany, about why so many parties were able to jump ahead of us on the waiting list. My fiancÃ© was educated on their system of determining seating order. My fiancÃ© stepped inside to use the restroom while we continued to wait and on the way back she overheard the hostess, Melany, bad-mouthing my fiancÃ© by name to a co-worker!! I know that shady things go on in restaurants but this is something I would expect to see at McDonalds. At an upscale cafe employees need to always be courteous and professional whether or not they think someone is watching/listening. Understandably restaurants are high pressure environments but if an employee cannot keep their wits about them or behave with decency they need to remove themselves from the job. The birthday girl had to walk herself around the block more than once during the course of the meal to keep from crying. A very disappointing birthday brunch. Not ok at McDonald's, not ok at Bijou Cafe. Great food, poor treatment.
(2)
Shannon P.

Excellent breakfasts times three. Omelettes were superb and the coffee was top notch.
(5)
Wil M.

I love the French Toast made with cinnamon bread here. This is a must go whenever I am in town.
(5)
K Q.

We came here for breakfast and didn't have to wait long for a table to seat 6 of us which was nice. The place was packed and it felt like our waiter was trying to be super formal - weird in this cafe environment, but he was nice. Service was good but slow, due to the fact that the wait staff has to hand pour individual servings of milk or cream for your coffee. Why not just bring a jug of cream to the table for everyone to share? I had the chorizo hash. The sausage was made in house and it was pretty good. A tad under seasoned. The strange part was my tea. They serve loose leaf tea in this small colander/strainer that you set on your mug, but the tea leaves don't make it into the hot water unless you practically overflow the mug. Useless. My hubs had the cauliflower & kale hash and declared it his favourite meal of our entire trip to Portland! Overall, a win....I'd want to come back if they fix the tea situation and took themselves a little bit less seriously.
(4)
Michael J.

Excellent breakfast option in downtown Portland. Not nearly as busy as other places closer to the riverfront. The omelettes are top notch and the bacon rivals any I've ever had. The French toast was great as well.
(5)
Scott B.

Bold flavor meets portland farm feel. We went here based on other yelp reviews and were not let down. The price, although steep, was worth it. The redwood hill omelette was bursting with flavor and all the sauces were nice compliments to the perfectly cooked potatoes
(5)
Suzy P.

I rarely tip less than 20% because waiting tables is hard work, and I don't expect a whole lot in the way of decent service. But I had a pretty crappy breakfast experience this morning at Bijou and tipped less than 10% because it was all easily preventable. I've been to the cafe years ago several times, and seems like it's really gone downhill, or maybe I just hit it on an "off" day. The servers were generally pretty unfriendly. It would be nice to have a "hello" or "good morning" from the hostess and/or my server, maybe even a smile. My server generally ignored me, and when she dropped off my plate with a mistaken order, it took me a long time to flag someone down to fix the order. And there was no, "sorry for the inconvenience" or acknowledgement of the error. Overall, I just felt like I was the inconvenience to the hostess & server. That is all no big deal. But the food itself was not good. The tofu scramble was just dried-out overcooked tofu with garlic and parsley. It tasted weird. How about some nice sauteed veggies in there? Maybe an option of a little goat cheese? It's not hard to do a tasty scramble. The salad was lackluster too. The coffee was amazing.... so good. But it was strange that my waitress only gave me a half cup on my first refill, even though her coffee pot in hand had plenty in it. I had to wait a long time for another opportunity for a refill. Finally, I sat there for what seemed like forever to get my bill settled, though my cash was on the check in plain sight for at least 15 minutes. At 8:00 a.m. in the morning downtown on a weekday, things should move a little faster.... we gotta get to work. It wasn't full in there, and there were plenty of servers. So all in all... meh. I won't be back.
(1)
Angelika I.

I was about to stop having omelettes for brunch because they're typically too bland, but then I had a French omelette at Bijou Cafe. Well, this is the best omelette I've had in Portland so far. I tried the NW oyster, bacon and onion omelette with a side of green salad (it was gluten-free, which is why I could order it). It was out of this world! The egg part was fluffy and well seasoned, just like I would make a home; the bacon added a salty flavor; the oysters, drenched in cornmeal, and onions added a slightly sweet flavor. It was simply delicious. Needless to say, I will be back for more. I also ordered green tea, and it was loose-leaf tea, which is much better than the bagged kind - another plus in my book.
(5)
Michael F.

I've never had an omelette with asparagus before coming to Bijou Cafe...what a pleasant surprise! Our server was very nice, and the food and coffee was delicious! We'll be back soon!
(4)
Vicki S.

I had an absolutely delicious breakfast here. The mushrooms were very tasty. The waitress was very professional. I beat the wait by eating at the counter.
(4)
Daniel R.

Great food. Full bar, and my Bloody Mary was delicious and strong. The waitress was quirky and funny. I had the hash, which was delicious, and my partner had the cinnamon French toast, which was also good. Definitely a great brunch place.
(4)
Scott B.

I've had a lot of omelettes. I've had quite a few French ones too. And I admit it could have just been the day. But the French omelette I had here was very probably the best I've ever had. I had the omelette with goat cheese cheddar, bacon, and green onions. It was everything I could ever wish for, and I fully intend to try and replicate it in my own kitchen. My friend had an omelette with feta which was good, but not nearly as good. In fact, it was stuffed a little too full of feta which made it a pretty salty affair. Personally, I would have enjoyed it if they had turned it more Mediterranean by including some kalamata olives and maybe some red onion. My friend argued that the simplicity made it nice. Either way, it was still a solid omelette, just not as good as the other. Fresh squeezed orange juice is always nice, but for a small glass, I felt that 3.75 was a bit much to pay. That's hardly a big complaint, and 9 months later I still think about that omelette, so this thoroughly deserves a fifth star.
(5)
Cassandra D.

I went here this morning when the Brunch on the Bridge was a bust. Enjoyed - my quesadilla with pumpkin sauce had such a unique flavor - Heaven in my mouth. Next time I'll have one of the omelettes which all of my friends had; they were huge, with lots of side choices. I want to try the organic tomato salad as my side. Yum. Disliked - service was slow, but our waitress was sweet enough to make it ok. I'd try this place out again, if I am in the neighborhood, but I don't think I'd make a special trip.
(3)
James D.

I was referred to this restaurant from The Benson. I don't think I've ever been more disappointed in the service or quality of food. I wanted an egg white omelette. They flat out refused to make it. Saying, "we don't do egg whites". BIG MISTAKE. The service was lackluster at best. It was almost as if they had something better to do. (Granted, it was a sunny day in Portland.) I will NEVER return to invest my time or money in this establishment. Sure, the expanded building looks great but appearances aren't everything. Do yourself a favor and dine elsewhere.
(1)
Ashley C.

Indeed it is a cute breakfast place. Light and bright with a soaring ceiling that makes it feel much bigger than it actually is. My hubby and I really had been wanting some good breakfast so we pulled out our trusty list of "places to try." We walked in and were greeted by a friendly waitress and seated immediately. We looked over the menu, very to-the-point, and were directed to the specials board. I choose the brioche french toast and my husband decided on the roast beef hash. Our food arrived quickly and when it was laid in front of us we were very pleased. French toast is french toast when it comes to presentation but taste is another thing. This was the right combination of soft bready center and buttery crust. Served with real maple syrup, and berry syrup, what a great meal! My husband's roast beef hash was like whoa! If you're the type of person that feels like they never give you enough meat in hash this one is for you! I swear there must have been a whole 10 ounces of beef in there. The beef did lack a bit in salt but that was easily fixed table side. The potatoes are homestyle and topped with *perfect* eggs.
(4)
Richard H.

The oyster omelet was possibly the best omelet I've ever had. I might suggest the addition of spinach, but I hesitate to modify such delight. The oyster hash looked great too, and the sandwiches are tempting as well. I was charmed by the "soup of the moment", although I have a lot of items on the menu to go through first. The layout is open and light. They put in a windowed vestibule, half wall, and floating wall to prevent newcomers from tromping in and disturbing seated diners. The main grill is semi-exposed, and the sound of the cooks is a pleasant background. It's a bit pricey, and that seems to allow them a fairly high staffing ratio and to, apparently, allow diners to relax after their after-meal beverage without feeling guilty about holding a table. Remember a photo of your pet for the pinboard in the back.
(4)
Jav V.

Excellent breakfast. The potatoes are awesome... so is the bacon... and the eggs. That's what I had. Good OJ too. We sat at the bar and were told about Oregon for a while. That was the only downside. The upside of the bar was that we didn't have to wait.
(4)
amii c.

3.5 stars because the asparagus omelet, while tasty, was $14. Which was something the BF didn't know when he ordered it, because it was a special that the waitress told us about and wasn't printed on the menu, so we didn't see the price until afterwards. If an omelet costs that much, it should blow your mind. Now I'm no fan of asparagus, but even I liked his omelet. They get big points for making asparagus taste good to a long time asparagus-hater. My oatmeal was decent. Not terribly exciting, not a flavor explosion (unlike Bloop's oatmeal!), but almost soft enough, and with almost enough flavor. Came with brown sugar, raisins, and hazelnuts. The BF thought his coffee was decent. Service was friendly and prompt. In fact, our food came out surprisingly quickly. Very nice, light, bright, airy atmosphere.
(4)
Brandon S.

Sucks!!! Horrible service and over priced. I see why there last award was in 2008 or something along those lines. Ive walked past so many times and I once again will just keep on walking by this place. would rather stand in the stupid lines at voodoo than eat here.
(1)
Melissa L.

I hesitate to rave about this place and make it even tougher to get seated at weekend breakfasty hours, but this was one of the best breakfasts I have ever had, even if we did wait upwards of 45 mins for it. Fluffy, light, yet flavor-packed cypress omelette and roast beef hash are what we ordered, and the omelette came with this crazy-good cornmeal blueberry muffin, fresh from their oven. We only wished that we'd come there for breakfast both Sat and Sun of our weekend visit, instead of wasting our time at that Greek joint a few blocks away (but that's for another review...) Oh, and the waitress was sweet as pie, and the coffee was fantastic.
(5)
Michelle M.

Wonderful breakfast! Loses two stars for absolute worst service EVER and disgusting bathrooms.
(3)
Abi T.

Fried Oyster and Bacon Omelette. I rest my case. OK. There is the airy atmosphere and friendly service and hot coffee and local feild greens and choice of a fresh baked muffin on the side, which I saved for a snack later. All that is great and worthy of 5 stars, but just the fact that there exists a fried oyster and bacon omelette is beyond reason enough to eat here. Do they make them on the Gulf? I've never seen it, but Lordy, it's brilliant.
(5)
Wendy C.

Wonderful food. I think this was the best french toast I've ever had (the Brioche French Toast). The fruit (came with blackberries), and all of the rest of the food was incredibly fresh. And great/friendly service too.
(5)
Michelle W.

Very nice server (long brown ponytail) and good service. I loved the food. I had the housemade sausage, well prepared scrambled eggs, very tasty, garlicky salad and baguette. The huz had an omelette with potatoes and said it was good. They are in the process of remodeling which was kind of a bummer. There was a small wait but table turnover was pretty quick. I'd go again for sure.
(4)
Sharlene C.

cute and quaint cafe for breakfast. it's right next to stumptown too. my friend had said she'd eaten there before and liked it. we both at the special. black bean, leek and cheddar omletes. they came with home fries and wheat toast. the omelet turned out a bit watery prolly because of the leeks and lack a certain seasoning we couldn't put our finger on. my friend said maybe some peppers might have done the trick. it's a hearty breakfast of $11.95, so i'm not going to knock it too much. i didn't even finish. the cafe is cute and quaint. the service is attentive and quick. can't complain here.
(3)
Abigail Y.

House made scones and french country. Charming and delicious. Wait is always worth it!
(4)
Michelle C.

We beat the crowd and only had a short wait for a table. I had the French toast. It was good, but too eggy for me. My husband had the tofu scramble and said it was excellent. Overall, it was a good experience.
(3)
Kelly K.

We had one day in Portland, I yelped a place near our hotel, and we luckily settled on Bijou. Gingham curtains and French food - I almost expected a croissant basket and bowl of chocolate to materialize on the tables ... We had a 20 minute wait for our table, but we anticipated that as it was 9 a.m. on a Saturday. I ordered a goat cheese, leek omelet, my son had a waffle w/ a side of bacon, my hubby had a hash, and my very picky daughter - brioche french toast. All of it was perfect! It was the first time in a long while no one complained about something. Our waitress was prompt and refilled our water, bantered with the kids, all the while handling our order and being productive - she made us feel welcome, not like "get in-eat-get out". The whole place had that relaxed vibe, despite all the people, everyone was being served but there was no crazy hair-pulling-rushing around. The food arrived quicker than I thought it would for such a busy time. My omelet had the right amount of everything in it. No overflow of cheese or leek, I could still savor the egg involved. The potatoes were fantastic - the down side being I had to defend them from wayward forks heading my way. Well worth the wait and the price. The food is very fresh and just has that "clean" taste. Only wish we had a comparable in Seattle!
(5)
Holly F.

Our first brunch experience in Portland... Will come back on next visit. Highlights were: fresh-squeezed OJ, mushroom hash, great waitress (just the right balance of nice, helpful, efficient, attentive), policy of allowing Stumptown coffee at the table since they're right next door, nice organization behind the counters, good natural flow, great vibe. Next time want to try the oatmeal - someone put in a good word earlier, but I was afraid to miss out on savory breakfast while here.
(5)
Erin L.

Great little breakfast spot in downtown Portland. Wonderful omelettes, but I went for the pumpkin seed mole quesadilla, and was not disappointed. Good food but nothing outrageously wonderful and a little spendy leaves this a decent 3-star spot to check out.
(3)
Chris C.

Bijou, Cafe. I, Love you. This was our second trip to Bijou, and proved that our first experience was not a fluke; this place is fantastic. The brioche french toast was thick, fluffy, filling. Topped with a compote, homemade whipped cream and maple syrup, you can't ask for more. My wife had the tofu scrambler, and it was very good as well. Had a definite french taste. Classic breakfast potatoes with organic ketchup. The coffee was also wonderful, and the refills were timely and plentiful. Keep it coming! They were also very accommodating for our 5 person, 3 check party. No complaints about separate checks... pretty rare these days. If you've got time to wait for a table, you must give this place a try.
(5)
Sara S.

4.5 stars, rouding it up to five. This place is kind of minimalist, old school, yet verging on trendy all at the same time. Interesting combination, but it works. After considering Gravy and Stepping Stone (I know I can down that huge stack of pancakes), I decided on Bijou. I was told it was old-school Portland and not to be missed on my trip. I sat at the counter and got a shortstack. One oatmeal and one cornmeal pancake. The cornmeal was good, but it took a few bites to notice a difference in taste as compared ot the buttermilk. Oatmeal, though, was fantastic. I'd never had oatmeal pancakes, and I really enjoyed the nuttiness, slightly chunky texture, and mushiness of it. YUM. The marionberry syrup is great, but I mixed the maple and marionberry and made my own little "dipping sauce". These were some of the best pancakes I've had in a long time. Pancakes are generously sized, although not HUGE or overwhelming. My bill was $5.25. What a steal! My server was really nice and chill, and we chatted for a bit. This place is filled with buttoned-up 40-somethings, not young hipsters like I would have thought. I think they were down the street at VooDoo or Stumptown.
(5)
Miriam W.

Bijou Cafe came highly recommended from one of my favorite Washingtonian's co-workers and most definitely did not disappoint. Service is friendly and capable; tea is loose leaf and the specials written on the chalkboard sparkle making this French-inspired cafe a great place to fuel up before a walk to the Pearl or a drive to the coast. The mushroom hash is a must-order and made perfect if you ask for a side of sour cream to go with.
(4)
Aimee L.

I wish I could wrap Bijou up and take it and place it near my house for easy weekend breakfasts. I'm not terribly keen on their lunches but their breakfasts are phenomenal, especially the egg dishes. Great quality and focus on sustainability (killer example? they don't provide straws because they're not recyclable/compostable. love it.). Very good coffee and I've always had excellent service. Downtown needs more places like this if they want people to start coming back - being a native, I used to always come downtown, now there's not much motivation beyond Bijou on a weekend...
(4)
Kathleen B.

This is one of our favorite breakfast places. They do the basics and do them well. I really love their pancakes; you can get different varieties in a single stack! I'm not sure whether I like the oatmeal or the buckwheat pancakes better. Their French toast is awesome also. A few slightly less traditional items; their quesadilla is surprisingly delicious. The interior is the perfect little neat cafe. It's cozy and light, the kind of cafe people write books about. Service is always friendly and attentive.
(5)
Dan P.

This was our first meal in Portland and it did not disappoint. Ambiance was great...lively but not loud, very friendly greet and wait staff. Food was excellent. We shared two dishes, the oyster mash and the tofu scramble. We were skeptical about the oyster mash, as it doesnt seem like much of a breakfast food, but it was very tasty. Lightly friend, not too fishy. The tofu scramble was excellent, they got the texture right (more scrambled-egg-like)where many other restaurants fail. As far as sides, the potatoes were perfect (crispy but not burnt), and the muffin of the day (apple spice) held us over for lunch. They even had organic ketchup! Will definitely come back on my next visit!
(5)
Bryony T.

What a pleasurable experience. I had a great post-5am bedtime breakfast and maddi and justin the beautiful made it so fun. Get the bloody Mary coz it's a great drunk at noon. Also love that they were flexible on the order coz I'm really fussy but got the moat amazing omlette. Thanks for a great breakfast.
(5)
Jess O.

I was a bit surprised when it was completely empty at 1pm for lunch. But it was cute and the people who work there are uber nice. I ordered the quesadillas. They arrived looking uninspiring. Not even a garnish -- and tasted terrible. All 4 of us at the table grimaced upon tasting them. Two of the groups had omlets and reported that they were very tasty. WE also all agreed on the black bean soup. But the bread is pretty dry. Be warned the lemonade is lemony -- which is awesome -- but it is so tart it is hard to drink. Be prepared to add sugar or to practice your pucker.
(3)
Melinda K.

This is a review for breakfast at this cafe. It was outstanding. I had the blackboard special omelet - divine combination of chorizo and cheddar cheese. My husband had the roast beef hash off the regular menu. Also great. I love Illy coffee which is what they serve - sooo good. We were meant to go to voodoo doughnuts but couldn't be bothered lining up. Glad that we cam here instead. Note, this is a bit of a shady area so beware.
(5)
Debbie C.

Tofu scramble was exactly the light brunch fare I was looking for. It came with home fries and a yummy blueberry pecan muffin. Everything was great. I tried some of the oyster scramble, bacon goatcheese scramble and the orange brioche and everything was delicious. The orange juice is also freshly squeezed. The wait was about 30 minutes but fortunately Stumptown is next door so I was able to grab a cup of Organic Guatamalan coffee as i read the morning paper.
(4)
Robert W.

The food was really good. The wait was short. I was a little distressed when our coffee wasn't immediately forthcoming...but when I heard the waitress make a reference to Noam Chomsky, it was all good by me. I'll be back...if only to support aging (gracefully) hippie waitresses who can make a credible offhanded remark about Chomsky.
(4)
Sufiya K.

I came here on a whim because Mother's was closed on Mondays. I was really disappointed but decided to check this place out. I loved the atmophere, nice french country decor, very clean, airy and big windows. I had a veggie omelette. The eggs were so light and fluffy...it must be made with heavy cream? Overall the food and service was good and I would come back the next time I'm in the area...Breakfast is my favorite meal and I am pretty particular with foods so I would say this is a solid breakfast spot. Their lattes are really good!! The other 2 guys I were with also really enjoyed their meals.
(4)
Matt M.

Wow... Portland never ceases to amaze me... Every meal here continues to blow my mind and Bijou was no exception. In fairness, there was no way I could have ordered anything but the oyster ommelette after I saw someone next to me eating one... And I was not disappointed. Hyperbole aside - one of the best ommelettes I've ever had... Rich an delicious and the jams were amazing as well. My girlfriend had the mushroom and cheddar ommelette and it was great too (although definitely a league below my order) Good service as well... Altogether an amazing brunch
(4)
Amanda E.

This cafe has great breakfasts and good lunches. The service is fast and friendly. The menu has wonderful selections for vegetarians.
(4)
Doug G.

They have a very good evening menu, too. I had the Warm Black Kale Salad with hazelnuts, Dijon vinaigrette. Excellent! Then I tried the burger with jalapeÃ±o chutney - another great choice. I had the jasmine pearl tea and of course, Nancy King and her talented group of jazz musicians added to the atmosphere.
(4)
Ashley C.

Bijou Cafe sits pretty on a corner office of a lovely building downtown Portland. It's even conveniently next door to Stumptown. Can't ask for anything better - good food and coffee in the same building A friend of mine introduced me to this wonderful restaurant. The menu selection is very limited if you're not a vegetarian. But the dishes are always fresh and delicious. I wouldn't go as far to say gourmet, but very close. For a small restaurant it packs a lot of punches. I wouldn't recommend coming here with a large group, because seats are limited. The staff is very nice and accommodating. Even with the hectic demands of their customer, they always whip up a friendly smile.
(5)
Debbie Chiou S.

Hubs tried the roast beef hash and I tried he oyster omelet. He loved his dish, but I thought mine was a bit bland and prefer the taiwanese style oyster omelets so much more.
(3)
Cody W.

I just ate here for lunch, and it was really good. I got the bacon burger with Jalapeno chutney. I highly recommend it. The only reason why I docked it a point was because they don't have Diet Pepsi. Not even Diet Coke. Not even Diet Rite! What gives? I had to drink water out of a shot glass sized cup. Slightly annoyed, but the burger made up for it.
(4)
Jay G.

Went in for a late breakfast/ brunch. The staff was great and the food selection awesome. The place was even better than expected.
(4)
Jesse P.

Bijou knows how to make an omelet! The eggs were cooked to perfection. I went with the oyster omelet after a few yelp reviews had piqued my interest. Excellent but almost too rich for me. My gf got the veggie omelet which she raved about as well. We waited about 30 minutes to get in but it was Sunday morning so all things considered, not too bad. We just went over to Stumptown next door for coffee while we waited.
(4)
Erica L.

This is our Saturday morning breakfast. Every Saturday. We love the food (the mushroom hash is fantastic -- just the right kick), and the staff feel like family. How often do you go to a restaurant where everyone there knows your name? and worry about you when you miss a weekend? The muffins are especially wonderful, and we get a couple to go even when they don't come with our selected meals. My favourite are the banana nut, no wait, the blackberry, no -- the cornmeal, but then there are the peach almond . . . Actually, my favourite muffin has got to be whatever they have on offer that morning. Once we got them straight from the oven, still steaming, and I thought I had died and gone to heaven. The coffee is always hot and fresh, and plentiful . . . to say that the cups are bottomless is an understatement. If the tables are full and there is a line (which is the usual case) we just grab seats at the counter, and usually get to meet interesting people.
(5)
Claire T.

On our Oregon trip, we had three breakfast meals out. Bijou was the first, and while we were perfectly happy with our meal, the other two breakfasts were superior in quality. We had the french toast and the oyster omelette. While an oyster omelette sounds like a round-trip meal to me, I took a chance based on happy Yelpers. The omelette was well-cooked and the oysters were delicious. I MUCH prefer the oysters available in the Pacific Northwest to the Gulf of Mexico oysters usually available in our part of the country. These oysters were plump, not chewy, and without a hint of gulf funk. Bijou was a good breakfast with friendly service in a chill atmosphere. However, Portland has lots of great breakfast choices. I would probably choose another one next visit.
(3)
T Z.

I have always loved this place and am glad that it's still doing well. I'm not usually a big fan of omelettes at restaurants (most cannot get them right), but I am always pleased here. They are perfectly light and fluffy, with just the right amount of stuffing. Yesterday I had the special - chanterelles, bacon and smoked gouda. Lovely! I love their hashes too - especially the oyster one. Lunches are great as well, with my favorites the tuna sandwich and burger. Service is usually totally on, with many of the staff long-term pros. I'll always return here again and again.
(4)
Sam B.

AHHH THE OYSTER HASH! I dont know if they still have it, but if you ever, EVER, see it on the menu, YOU HAVE TO GET IT. Price is a bit steep for a casual lunch in Portland, but let me tell you, it beats all them food trucks! Grab yourself a nice meal. Go ahead, do yourself a favor and give this place the attention it deserves.
(4)
O D.

I met a friend here for brunch a few days ago. Luckily for us the place wasn't too packed so we didn't have to wait long (plus I was late so I didn't have to way long). The menu has a great selection of breakfast items which is important to me as breakfast is my favorite meal of the day. We were warmly greeted and our order was promptly taken. I ordered the French Style Omelette which comes with a warm apple crisp muffin (delicious). Our food took a little longer than normal so our waitress brought over another warm muffin (VERY NICE), my friend ordered something with Tuna ( I don't really pay attention to that stuff). Our food finally came and it was amazing. Prepared well and our talb was well stocked with necessities. One of the waiters sent over another muffin for the road as he thought I was Venus Willams (yeah I know). So all in all I had an amazing experience. Bijou?! is it cause i'm a jou?
(4)
Liddy S.

What an amazing breakfast. The older lady who helped us was so sweet, friendly and informative. This cafe is amazing. I had the omelet with gruyerre, ham and apple and it was amazing. My husband had the roast beef hash and my mom had some omelet with oysters. All were unique and delicious dishes. We also had mimosas and they were very good, none of the Champagne flute bs that some places do. It was like a real mimosa with fresh squeezed oj. Though it doesn't matter that much to me, it's cool that they are all about organic, local, and free trade. It wouldn't stop me if they weren't. But the quality of service and amazing food were great.
(5)
Brian O.

Good little breakfast place...and while the food is top notch (however you want your eggs will arrive perfectly) the staff is really friendly and helpful. That's important when the rush arrives in the morning...there's space to wait for a table, but can get packed. When it's full (as it usually is) it can get quite loud. But the food will be good and the staff won't miss a beat!
(4)
Chris L.

The Oyster Omelette almost makes the five hour drive down to the city worthwhile. Alright, it does... an amazing blend of briny flavourful breaded mollusks coupled with smoky pieces of bacon in fluffy moist egg make this one of the best omelettes I've ever had. Brioche French Toast was also a highlight with yummy maple syrup. At another table I couldn't help but notice a svelte young lass with her much older companion having not one, but two bottles of beer for brunch (this was around 11am) on this Sunday morning. I guess they really enjoy the beer in this town - will have to try some next time, but a little later in the day...
(4)
Patricia P.

As fellow Yelpers say, the place is packed. Food and service was pretty good. Not sure that I would try this again...but maybe I just ordered the wrong thing. I would have like more sandwich with my mustard...but then again, I'm really not that keen on the stuff. So it was probably my mistake to order what I did.
(3)
Rick W.

I should have ordered the oyster hash. My partner did and gave me a bite, then two more upon request. To thank him for his generosity I picked up the tab. On our list of places to return.
(4)
Joseph M.

The oyster hash was ridiculously good. Omelet was delicious too. I'd give it 5 but the Bloody Mary was very mediocre.
(4)
Sarah G.

This place had the tastiest bacon and yummiest breakfast potatoes I've ever had in a restaurant! Their house made ketchup was quite tasty too. I had the brioche French toast, which was very good, although slightly undercooked. I would eat here again.
(4)
Martha C.

Absolutely the best breakfast I have ever had right down to the organic ketchup! The veggie omelette was done to perfection and the Marion berry jam was to die for. The coffee was amazing and our server was quick witted and happy. We didn't have a wait but it was a weekday. I loved it and will definitely recommend. Enjoy!
(4)
Bob M.

Okay so I had some friends in from Chicago staying at Hotel Fifty and so I was like-- lets take em to Mother's for breakfast. Closed. The concierge chimed in and said that Bijou Cafe was really good if not better than Mothers. So we get there--cool walk from Fifty for visitors-- and we were seated quickly as it seemed the main breakfast crowd had already passed. They were out of most of the stuff on the menu. My friend got the fabled roast beef hash-- very sub par-- the meat was grey and tough and not tasty. The chantrelle and swiss omelette that his wife and I got were decent. All in all, I don't think I would take anyone back to this place, but maybe we just missed on this one.
(3)
Will L.

I woke up spinning. Who the hell was the smart-ass who put my bed on a rollercoaster? Since when does the sun lower itself instead of rise? And how did the hotel get the desk and chairs to hang off the walls like that? Why is it that instead of standing up like a normal human being I'm falling sideways and having to grip the wall. Note to self: no more drinking heavily. Or at least drinking heavily without eating. And then taking cough medicine on top of it. OK, that's it. I'm seriously going to kill the chucklehead who's pounding on the drums so rhythmically in my room. Was that an added bonus with the hotel? Oh... no, that's my watch ticking off seconds. Warrior needs food... badly! And coffee. Give me coffee or give me death. Or... if I'm already dead, please just pour some coffee on my corpse, maybe it will sink in and give my pour tortured spirit some respite. I don't know how I managed to shower without falling down and braining myself. I did drop my deodorant on my toe. Frickin hurt. Which took my mind off the pounding in the rest of my body for about 3 seconds. I wandered down to Mother's Bistro. Looked inside at the humongous crowd. Listened to the cacophony of dishes and dining. No thanks, I'd rather listen to thrash metal. I checked mobile.Yelp.com on my phone. Punched in 'Breakfast' in Portland, OR. Limited to downtown. Got the Bijou... Brett O.'s review. Good review to read. I headed over, walked in, saw that there was no waiting list for the counter, and sat my sorry, aching, pounding, caffeine-less body down. The wait staff were awesome. Maybe it was obvious I needed nourishment, I mean I didn't need a glowing neon sign over my head, I think the red in my eyes and my general sickly skin pallor did that for me. I got coffee and OJ right up. Pulp in my OJ, which I usually hate but this was some fresh squeezed stuff, like they had one of those machines out back that grinds the orange down into delicious juicy-ness and puts it in a cup. Oh man. I started feeling better immediately. And the coffee. Ooooh the coffee. Yeah, it probably tasted especially good considering my condition, but it tasted ESPECIALLY good. I don't know why. There was a rich flavor to it that I don't normally notice. I mentioned this, and one of the waiters made sure to come fill me up from the fresh brewed pot as soon as it was ready. Thanks man, holy crap! I started feeling human again. I couldn't decide between a mushroom/cheese hash and a mushroom/cheese omellete. My waitress let me know that the hash has a lot of garlic in it. Which is usually fine, except... warning bells went off in my head (which still hurt, but not as much). DANGER WILL L. She said, and I quote: "I like our omelets better because they're... well... perfect." Ooooh. A challenge! Well, she was right. I've never seen an omelet look so pretty. I mean... perfect shape, perfect cheese consistency, perfect ratio of mushrooms to cheese to eggs. I didn't put salt/pepper/anything on it. I ate it as was. It was REALLY FRICKEN GOOD. They had marionberry jam for my toast. In the words of Dr. Dre: "Hell yeah!" I ate some of the potato side stuff, typical filler, nothing special there. Tabasco always makes everything like that tasty. As I walked out into the fresh air, I realized I wasn't in pain anymore. I was actually full and happy. Human again. Just what a hang-over breakfast is supposed to do.
(5)
Jennifer T.

I couldn't decide whether or not to add to the multitude of reviews herein, but after debating it I decided it's worth a few words. They've got service down pat. Not only were we seated immediately since we got there early enough to get right in, but our coffee came right away and the waiter introduced us to the specials, something often forgotten. My husband's omelet, with goat cheese and green onions, was SUPERB. Delicate egg 'shell' with delightful creaminess inside; flavors melding perfectly. This omelet is what I'm getting next time. Mine, unfortunately and the reason for only four stars, was filled with less than pristine oysters. Having just spent two years on Willapa Bay, I guess I'm spoiled, but these were just good, not great. The coffee kept flowing, the pancake hubby ordered on the side, oatmeal, was out of this world, and again something I will order next time. I'm all for reviewing a place twice, so we'll be back and make sure I haven't removed a star for spurious reasons. Wonderful atmosphere, open and clean lines. The whole place shines. I bet if you performed a white glove test on the mouldings you would come away clean. Windows clean! Plus, it's right down the street from VooDoo Donuts, and on Saturdays the Portland Market. We enjoyed both on our first visit to Bijou. Thanks guys - good mojo to you!
(4)
Tom M.

Since I know a couple of people who work at the Bijou, I really wanted to love it. But it was just okay... for me. My parents and girlfriend all really liked it. Some exuberant proclamations were even made from two in our party, such as, "Perhaps the best omelette I've ever had!" (my Dad) I didn't have any such feelings. I suppose I ordered the wrong thing: just regular ol' pancakes. They were okay, not bad. But part of me feels like such an option is so simple there's no excuse--at a popular, highly revered breakfast spot--for not making them really well. Service was friendly. Table space was uncomfortably limited. Syrup bottle was all sticky and gross on the handle. Sound was cacophonous on a busy Sunday morning, making conversation slightly strained. I will try it again. Probably not on a weekend. I will definitely order something different. Maybe an omelette.
(3)
Gagan T.

Cozy breakfast place. Buckwheat pancakes with the daily special blackberry compote were amazing! Would come back to try so many of the other tempting choices.
(4)
Adriane P.

I've eaten here twice and I cannot for the life of me figure out what the big deal is about. Average food. Very average and not worth the wait. Granted, I ordered "basics", but their classics should be done just as well as the fancy plates I see others mentioning in their reviews, shouldn't they? A strange mystery arose too. It wasn't very busy when my food came out barely luke warm and internally dry, although it didn't take long from the order being placed to arrive at my table. The kitchen not being closed off- maybe a hot plate issue? Service was great in a motherly, "fix your shirt" kind-of way. "Oh you don't need that third cup of coffee, it's bad for you" kind-of way. The only thing I liked was the 1930's era, Hoosier cupboard simplicity of the decor, but the acoustics get a little maddening in the cavernous space when the crowds start gathering.
(2)
Khalid N.

Friendliest staff ever. They all seemed genuinely happy to be there and have us. Got the mushroom omelet. Very savory. The bacon was awesome, but very pricey ($6 for a side of 3 bacon slices - granted they were big, thick slices). The coffee was very good too and refills were plentiful. Loved the Marion-berry jam too.
(4)
Frank E.

My first rule for waiting 45 minutes to get seated for breakfast in any restaurant: It ain't worth it. Bijou is no exception. OK, we didn't wait 45 minutes to get seated, we waited maybe ten before lucking out and getting seated at one of the few, coveted counter seats. (Recommendation: be aggressive about getting one of these counter seats!) Ten more minutes before ordering. Then we waited, and waited, and waited for 45 minutes for our order to arrive. Maybe preparing a very nice, light wild mushroom and cheddar omelette with some perfectly cooked potatoes takes time? Or perhaps they were trying to get that oatmeal pancake just right? (They did.) It could be they were struggling with the buckwheat pancake before sending it out. (They missed--it was a little dry and just not quite right. But the waitress did allow me to order one pancake of each type.) Was it that beautifully done over easy egg? (I don't think so.) Pancakes and an omelette with an over easy egg. Food arrives 45 minutes after ordering. $22.50 with two cups of drip. No apologies. It ain't worth the wait. So if you dare go on a weekend be sure to bring a good book, a decent newspaper, a good conversation partner and a whole lot of patience before you enjoy your nicely prepared eggs, pancakes or hash. But I have to believe that there are equally satisfying breakfasts to be had in Portland, without the drama of Bijou, a place that serves good breakfast food, knows it, and doesn't apologize when things aren't clicking as well as any customer could reasonably expect. It ain't worth the wait.
(3)
Chris E.

With most breakfast places in Portland, be prepared for a wait on the weekends. Not necessarily a negative but something to be aware of. Good downtown location. Nice atmosphere and decor. Busy but staff worked hard. Brad was a great server. Food was good. Portions of reasonable size and healthy. Great fresh squeezed OJ. A little on the pricey side but that's also average for a good Portland breakfast. Overall an "A" experience and we'd go back again
(3)
Brian M.

So the food was OK. I had an oyster omelet and it was heavy on the onions. The French Toast looked great. I deducted some stars because the waitress we had was kind of rude in many cases. I'm sure she thought she was funny....but she seemed put off when we didn't order right away and she made the comment "That's OK I'm here all day."
(3)
Rafael L.

I love this place for breakfast! It also happens that Voodoo Dough Nuts and Stumptown Coffee Roasters are on the same street within a couple of blocks of each other. We usually stay at the Embassy Suites across the street and even though breakfast is included, we always go here at least once before coming home. They have a pretty simple selection of items, but they do a great job of putting everything together. The homemade sausage is really good and so is the hash. They have very good coffee too. Service is always great, the place is really clean and the wait isn't too bad. The longest we've ever waited was probably 20 to 30 minutes tops on a weekend.
(5)
G H.

MEH! Over-hyped and over-reviewed. My BLAND meal wasn't worth the effort.
(2)
J S.

This place is point blank my favorite breakfast place in Portland. Even the eggs are better than anywhere else. Anything on the menu is delicious and I think it is because of fresh their ingredients are. This place has been around and doing it right for a long long time. I particularly like one of the omelets which has a name like "Farmer's Omelet" or something like that. Their salads are also good, which you can get instead of potatoes. Love to have the scrambled eggs with salad and a baguette. You can get the omelets with baguette too. My mom ordered the omelet with fried oysters once which was also really good if you like oysters. The decorating is cute with nice light from the huge windows along three of the walls. Some of the servers have been there for years and are really passionate about the place which is always a good sign.
(4)
Emily B.

Portland is full of great breakfast places with fresh, fun ingredients. Places like the new Bar Carlo on SE Foster and Zell's on SE Morrison. Bijou Cafe is about $5 more per person than those restaurants (meal and coffee tab for two came to $35 with tip!) and the food doesn't even begin to compare. My oyster omelet was so-so, the coffee was weak and cheap-tasting (get some Stumptown!), and my husband's roast beef hash was overcooked and tough. Also, the roasted potatoes are far tastier at other places I've been. The only thing Bijou has going for me is location... Basically, when you're downtown and you want something more than a bagel and coffee for breakfast, you're kind of in trouble.
(2)
LeAndra M.

Pretty tasty, but not sure if it's worth the wait on a Saturday morning. The omelets are cooked the "french" way (aka, half raw). I hate my eggs runny, but the husband loved it. Servers aren't very friendly, but I am not sure I'd be either if I had to deal with hundreds of people early on a Saturday morning. The fresh grapefruit juice was however, outstanding!! Oh, and loved the light, airy ambiance!!
(4)
erica p.

Coffee: perfect strongly brewed without turning bitter. Waitress: ultra patient as my friend and I kept chatting rather than ordering. Food: very well done, not too much, not too little. Made our stomachs happy. Atmosphere: Adorable, light, bright, a happy place to start the day. The wait: got right in and it seemed like they had the perfect flow throughout the time we were there. This might be my new favorite breakfast spot.
(5)
Yasmien H.

So yum, I had the Brioche French toast and a hot chocolate. Both delicious and the marionberry jam was so good too.
(4)
VALYNN L.

I love the Bijou Cafe because they don't serve "POP" and the food is DELICIOUS.
(5)
Ethan B.

Wow! Girlfriend drug me here for breakfast and I was expecting the worst. Shockingly delightful it turns out! Delicious fluffy feta omelet and buttermilk pancakes just the right texture. a little pricey.
(4)
Samsonight S.

"It is a pleasure to serve people here" - That's what my waitress told me. The place was slammed, I was by myself on business and she still took the time to have a real conversation with me. I believed her when she said it and the service is just one of the reasons I'll go back next time Portland. The other- The French Omelet with Bacon. AMAZING.
(5)
Sheila Y.

So after dating a SF'can I heard all about the infamous oyster omelet. My first foray into this local delicacy was in Seattle at 13 Coins (see review below) and almost lost my cookies. Needless to say I was commited to the cause and when I was last in Portland with my family we stopped into Bijou Cafe for Sunday Brunch. I immediately noted the inclusion of this unique item on the menu and went ahead and crossed my fingers for round two. And....It was AWESOME....no cold oysters, no strange aftertaste...just fresh with a touch of ocean goodness. The potatoes and toast were tasty too, as well as the bottomless cup of coffee. Service is decent, but hey...its kind of diner-esque so don't expect too much. Definitely top five brunches in PDX in my books!
(4)
Melinda D.

after many years of enjoying breakfast at Bijou (on weekdays) I had a bad experience on a recent Saturday am. It took forever to get waited on, after asking someone to send the server over, she arrived confrontational "I hear you are upset". No apology for the poor service. My omlette arrived cold and the toast was even worse, cold and hard as a brick. The restraurant's kitchen nor its servers seemed to be able to handle a busy Saturday. No one seemed to care whether you enjoyed your breakfast or not. Next time I will head down the street to Mother's.
(2)
Luciasur S.

Service was superb. Oatmeal - I can make it a lot better. French toast didn't look anything above a C. Will try again for an omelette.
(3)
Tom S.

Went there on a Monday for breakfast. Had an omelet (can't remember which one it was) and the wife had the French toast. We shared them both. Both were very good. The French toast smelled awesome. Omelet was light and cooked nicely. Service was efficient, very much all business. But well done. Would recommend breakfast here to anyone and would certainly come back.
(4)
Satya v.

excellent place to enjoy breakfast
(4)
Frank D.

Very disappointing. Bland food and below average service. Expected more as multiple people recommended. Will not be going back when there are so many other restaurants to explore in Portland.
(1)
Eric F.

Great brunch ... I had the oyster sandwich on a ciabatta bread . Very fresh and delicious . Everything is locally sourced so the menu can change from time to.time
(5)
Paul S.

Very good breakfast place. Ordered pancakes which were huge and choice of maple or marionberry syrup.
(3)
P C.

We found the reviews on yelp very helpful, after reading them we were eager to head out for breakfast. When we arrived there was a large line and list, the bar was first come first serve, so we hovered, grabbed a sea within ten minutes of arriving. Though the server was extremely busy, she was very personable, suggested the daily specials and encouraged us to try her famous bloody mary's. We enjoyed baked eggs and a breakfast scramble. After studying the rest of the menu, we decided that when we return to Portland the Bijou Cafe will be one of our planned destinations for breakfast!!!
(5)
Melissa O.

Bijou is adorable. It's bright, it's airy, and occasionally men walk in delivering buckets full of chanterelle mushrooms. I had the mushroom hash which was fantastic. Mushrooms, potatoes, salsa, and lemon wedges on the side. Yummy deliciousness. My only regret was not requesting an egg on top. That would have made it even better. My cafe au lait was lovely, and I got refills of coffee and a side of steamed milk. Mmmm! Joe had the cinnamon French toast with pear compote. This was to die for! So ridiculously good. He had a hot apple cider with his yummy breakfast and loved it! Service was a little slow, but I'd go back in a heartbeat.
(4)
Jen K.

Portland can be a breakfast eater's paradise. As diners we are fortunate to have so many choices depending on our appetite and budget: old school diners, upscale cafes, food carts and trendy bistros. Many of these places have long lines on the weekend and you have to decide, "Is it worth it?" There are very few places that are special and unique enough to make the line-waiting cut in my book and Bijou falls below the line. Our first family visit didn't involve much waiting so we were lucky in that regard since I regularly see long lines on the weekend. Part of this may be the excellent downtown location close to several large hotels. I suspect many visitors are directed to Bijou by the front desk staff of various hotels. I would advise visitors to our fair city that they can do better. Bijou seemed to be THE breakfast hot spot a couple of years ago when I first joined Yelp [1]. But the times have changed and their competition continues to grow and raise their game. The prices here seem high for what you get. And in a town obsessed with coffee, it strikes me as odd that they serve Kobos. I know they are one of our oldest local roasters, but the choice seems dated. I've ordered a variety of breakfast and lunch items during my visits. The tuna melt on foccacia was very good. My Buckwheat noodle salad tasted (ahem) healthy. The sausage is served as one large patty and the fruit platter was one of the lovelier I've seen lately with a colorful and flavorful mix of pears, apples, pineapple and dates. The interior is spacious with two large counters that remind me of a stripped down version of an old fashioned soda counter. One bonus, especially during the rainy months, is the enclosed waiting area. On my latest visit I ordered the brioche french toast (bread is from the Pearl Bakery) and it was quite nice. Not the best french toast in the city (my current fave is Cafe Du Berry), but very good. In another city, I would be more of a fan. But the combination of the lines, the price, the menu and the dated feel of this place just make it average in this food lover's paradise. [1] Pambiche and Bijou were my first two bookmarks.
(3)
Kevin K.

Bijou is one of those places that I walk by ALL THE TIME and rarely visit because there really isn't anything that sets it apart from similar restaurants in the area. There are many options on the menu that cater towards veggie lovers, so that's great. I usually get some kind of vegetable omelet and a coffee. My favorite thing about this place really has nothing to do with the business itself, so I won't count it towards my star rating. I went to brunch in the middle of the week and T.R. Knight from Grey's Anatomy sat at the table next to us! If Bijou is good enough for celebs, than it's good enough for me ;) On the serious: the servers are nice and the food is just OK. I go every once in a while and I'm never disappointed, I'm just unsatisfied.
(3)
Eric B.

Every time I come to Portland, there's always a new food place or neighbourhood to try out. And since Gayle and I were in town last weekend, the timing was right for a nice breakfast together. Our Hotel (The Nines) recommended the Bijou Cafe and her boss had previously raved about it. In hindsight, we're not sure why. There was only a short line when we arrived and we were seated fairly promptly. From there, the service was a remained fairly lethargic throughout our meal. It didn't look that busy, but whether it was water, taking our order, delivery from the kitchen, or even receiving and paying for our check, it was wait wait wait. However, the wait person was friendly enough and did exhibit some nice occasional service flourishes (when she was around). At the same time, the food was also very good, hot, and fresh, as Gayle enjoyed her farmer's omelet, and I did the same with a tuna melt panini. However, if I wanted good food without decent service, maybe we should have found a well-regarded food cart instead.
(3)
Autumn E.

I'm teetering on giving the place 3 stars, maybe I'll update if I go back. The Good: Coffee (Illy), The Service (friendly, helpful), The ambiance (clean, quaint, warmly bright) The Not so Good: The FOOD??!!! NW Natural Roast Beef Hash was not satisfying to my palette. When I think Roast Beef Hash, I'm thinking tender, juicy, savory thin strips of meat (or minced) ladled over flavorful potatoes and yummy eggs on the side. Instead what I got was a bland, tender-ish, well done steak cut into large-ish cubes thrown amidst flavorless fried potatoes with a heap of overly sweet sauteed onions. The only thing that was passable were the eggs. Not only that but the Hash came out SPICY! Whaaaaaaat??? It's one thing to add hot sauce to a dish upon its delivery. Its another to have it burning your mouth right out of the kitchen. I mean, I like spicy, love it really.... but not on my Hash. Its been 20 minutes since I ate and my tongue is still burning. Seriously disappointed with the food. Should I go back, I will order a "Safe" dish.
(2)
Robert H.

This is a Portland old school breakfast and lunch spot, local, organic, sustainable and healthy if you like, from before there were a billion hipsters here. Hard to believe but true. I bent the ear of a city council member at the adjacent table once and learned a lot too: "Hey what about this? We should do the right thing." "We want to do that, and all the businesses I talk to want to do that, and even though it would benefit them, they won't come out on the record supporting it because of their friends at the Mac Club, so we cannot do it." Most of the waitstaff have been working there for eons too. If you are in a rush, select the counter. The oyster hash is pretty decadent. Inspired me enough to make it at home now. Just barely cook those oysters in a little olive oil rather than breading and frying as Bijou does. I rarely eat eggs, so no idea on that. My other option is healthy. They have it. Fruit, granola, oatmeal. They tend to be busy from opening time, unlike hipster hangouts that are just hitting their stride weekends about 11 or noon, (or 1 or 2 - that's PM not AM!). It's a good place to bring family visitors from the Midwest, it has a familiar vibe, but a quality menu and ingredients. It's not a place of culinary fireworks like Tasty and Sons. Business and old school crowd early weekdays, Reassuring non-hipsterific quality.
(4)
shar d.

really good breakfast food. i didn't like it as much as mother's but i think it's b/c i'm partial to biscuits and gravy . . . . a little pricey for breakfast but the ingredients are defintely fresh and delicious. had the roast beef hash which was really flavorful. also tried some of the chicken enchiladas which was really good. all in all good breakfast joint. my mimosa was filled to the brim in a nice big cup for you drink in the morning fans.
(4)
Erin C.

Came here after seeing all the great Yelp reviews and wanted a real breakfast on my last day in Portland. I really liked how laid back and simple this restaurant is. I sat at the counter and had really attentive service by all of the waitresses that came by. The menu is full of local and organic items, and everything looked delicious. I wound up with the wild mushroom and cheddar omelet. The omelet was okay, but what I really loved was the jam that came with my toast. Not sure what kind it was, but it tasted so fresh! The potatoes were great too. Would definitely come back here again next time I'm in town!
(4)
Tabitha R.

A girlfriend of mine raved about this place - so perhaps my expectations were too high going into it. Bijou was good -- not great. The atmosphere is comfortable and we went late enough in the day that we missed the crowds and were seated right away. Our waiter was nice and had a good sense of humor (always a bonus). The food was ok ... not wonderful ... not very memorable. Had there been a long wait I think I'd have been most disappointed. And parking is kind of a hassle. I would try this place again ...
(4)
Maryam M.

it was ok, My omelet was bland and filled with potatos and not much else. Ok at best.
(3)
Dr B.

I'm in the Bijou fan club, too. This place uses good quality ingredients to create good food. The one thing I've learned, though, is I don't want to be here on the chef's day off. If I don't see a bald dome through the window, I'm moving on, as his kitchen staff botches something on my plate every time he's not around. Usually it's the eggs, or they'll overpower a sandwich with massive amounts of strong onions. But when the chef is in the kitchen, everything is perfectly wonderful.
(5)
VeryBerry F.

I take trips to the city of roses JUST so I can eat here. It's another restaurant where you see the same ffriendly faces, even after 15-20 years... definitely worth the wait (1 hour sometimes!)...the steak hash is consistantly scrumtious and the coffee is delightful. Try the buckwheat waffles and yogurt with fruit. I wish they would bring back the snapper hash. I'm hungry - I'm off to Expedia/Alaska Airlines/Southwest to book a ticket - It's time to eat! *Side note, I miss the drawings from customer that they used to put up on the wall near the host stand...that was from years ago...but I loved seeing my work on it.
(5)
Michelle H.

Mediocre. I believed all the hype. I waited the 40+ minutes for a table. I was genuinely excited. The decor was plain, the service was okay, the water was kind of warm, and the food was just...plain? I think plain is a good word. I expected to be wow'd. I sadly wasn't. It's not worth the wait for me, so I won't be back.
(2)
Raymond B.

Gotta try the Bijou Burger. And the breakfasts are amazing!
(5)
Art V. B.

Breakfast here is very good, I especially like the oatmeal with fresh berries. Service is inconsistent, depending on the mood of your server. Your server could be either very nice and cheerful or bored and grumpy. But don't take them too seriously and enjoy your breakfast, it's worth it.
(4)
Dale H.

Roast Beef Hash, Kapow!!!! Great place!!! Will come back to Portland for this alone!
(4)
Denzel W.

This is a small cafe. My partner and I arrived around 7:00 PM. The place was full so we took a table in the waiting area. The manager and one waitress handled the entire crowd. The ambiance with the jazz ensemble was nice. The menu was severely limited. I had a pastrami sandwich. My partner had a salad. The bread on the sandwich was burned and there was little sauerkraut or sauce. The potato salad was bland. The salad was mediocre...dressing was oily. The blue cheese was present even after it was requested to not be on the salad. The ambience was great, service slow/overwhelmed, menu more for lunch than dinner.
(3)
Adam L.

Solid, a bit touristy, and a bit pricey...
(3)
Randy K.

the morning after the Portland marathon I was famished and needed a big, hearty, delicious breakfast. Bijou's was recommended by the Marriott City Center concierge and was a short 5 minute walk. Got their and it was a 15 minute wait but the moment you walk in you know you are in for a treat. I ordered a roast beef hash with two eggs over-easy, fresh OJ, and shared two buckwheat pancakes with my friend. Service was quick and friendly and the prices were about $10-$15 a person. Definitely go back. The neighborhood isn't the best place to go for a walk as to the north is a bunch of adult video stores which is somewhat random.
(5)
T K.

Great breakfast spot -- went on a weekday, and it was quite crowded, but no waiting. Service was prompt. I had the roast beef hash -- with two eggs over easy. Eggs were prepared perfectly, still runny yolks -- just the way that i like them. The has itself was a good portion of meat, potatoes and onions. Very tasty. My dining companion ordered two eggs over easy with bacon, hashbrowns, and a special toast (can't remember what it was called) -- that tasted like croissant bread with a hint of anise and orange. It was outstanding! Definitely would visit again.
(4)
Aisha I.

We went twice while visiting Portland. The omellettes are incredible and I'm sad now because no other omellete will ever be the same! The whole wheat french toast was just average but I'm not sure if its the fault of the restaurant or the fact that whole wheat bread does not a good french toast make. BUT what sealed the deal and makes me love Bijou forevermore is there oatmeal pancakes. BEST pancakes ever. I am craving them as we speak. If you go to Bijou make sure to try their pancakes. I heard the buckwheat ones aren't as good, but the oatmeal? TO DIE FOR!
(5)
Liem L.

fun place and voodoo donuts are just around the corner.
(4)
Rick J.

Not so good and not so much fun. However it was open on Sunday morning which was nice. Cappuccino was the best part but the food and ambiance were the worst. Very boring and many other choices like Mothers or Morningstar. Kind of nerdy.
(2)
julie h.

this is about as good as breakfast gets. several things on the menu sounded great: roast beef hash, roasted vegetable omelet, and the pumpkin seed mole quesadilla but i went with the house made sausage and eggs. the eggs were scrambled perfectly- light and delicious. the sausage was good but not quite as mind-blowing as i'd hoped. the whole wheat toast was flavorful and somehow unique. but what i really remember was the choice of a salad or potatoes with your eggs. i have never had a salad with breakfast, nor can i recall seeing it on a menu. but i decided to go for it and i am so glad i did. it was incredibly simple: greens, very sparingly dressed but it was the perfect accompaniment to the eggs. and i was just so surprised that i liked it so much. i feel inspired to have small salads with my eggs at home now. also, the service was great and my waitress was really nice. can't wait to go back!
(4)
Mike D.

Back to Bijou this morning, no wait and a very nice waitress. Tried the Cinnamon French Toast - pretty good and my wife tried an omelet with a couple of changes - yes, they add and substitute, nice. The food came quickly and was hot. Coffee was good. Nice atmosphere here and not too spendy. Bijou is one of those places that continually puts out quality food.
(4)
Sabrina H.

Not a fan. Nothing like paying $10.25 for an omelet that only had cheese, onions and potatoes in it and not having much flavor. The side potatoes were also cold because our waitress was a little spacey and left the food sitting for 10 minutes waiting to be served. It was an awfully busy plaec as well so we had to wait for a table for 2 for over 40 minutes. Granted the restaurant is awfully small. The atmosphere leaves something to be desired as well, it is just a very plain place.
(2)
C B.

Food was good but service was horrible. Sat down and our waiter was very rude when i asked how she was doing. She replied "my shift is almost over". Guessing she was trying to tell us to hurry up. Never checked in on us as we waited an absurd amount of time for 2 sandwiches. She gave us the bill with our food - what is this, Red Robin? Our bill was $18 so I gave her $25 and waited for change so that I could leave her more than a $2 tip. She never came back with change, she cleared our table and started to clean up for closing and we continued to wait for her to come back with our change. She never returned. Sorry lady, your horrible service was not worthy of a 40% tip. Needless to say, I will not be returning because of the horrible service and straight up rude waitress.
(1)
Kelli H.

aaaaaaaammmmmaazzziiinnngggg buttermilk pancakes. They had such a good flavor and something I've never tasted in pancakes. French toast was good but not as good as the pancakes. I loved their marionberry syrup. The orange juice was all good and tasted fresh squeezed. Only let down was the sausage. It was the weirdest tasting sausage ever! That wouldn't stop me from going back though. I'd definitely recommend it again.
(4)
K F.

Reasonable prices, tasty food, OK atmosphere. The Farmers omelet was delicious but even better smothered in their homemade salsa!
(3)
Lynda k.

I was very satisfied with the food, service and location! We had the spicy pumpkin seed mole with chicken and it was AMAZING!!! My boyfriend and I are foodies and we couldn't get over how good it was! I had the special omelette for the day and I substited in chanterelle mushrooms...ummm it was delicious! I must mention the bacon! Some of the nicest, thickest bacon i've had... DELICIOUS! The coffee at bijous is yummy!!! Saw others order the french toast...If you have a sweet tooth your mouth will water just from seeing the plate. I will most definitely go back next time and try it. I can almost guarantee theres a line on weekends, but we were fortunate enough to go on a tuesday morning. The place is a bit small and can get crowded, but the food is a must!
(5)
Jeremy W.

Yum yum yum. The eggs are always so light and carefree(not sure how they do it but maybe they use water vs milk when cooking?) and seem to melt in your mouth. The potatoes have a crispy exterior but a soft inside--wonderfully seasoned. I haven't tried anything but their omelettes but everyone else's meals (french toast, fruit, coffee, etc) has been superb as well. A definite feel good place.
(5)
Molly C.

I thought what we ordered was good. I didn't think what we ordered was completely worth the bill. But it's bright and cheery and the service was great. I had the special omelette of the day (white cheddar, smoked ham and spinach) and my fiance and his friend each ordered the chicken-apple-sausage hash which they weren't raving about but I thought was really good. The menu was large, the specials all sounded good and it's super cheery inside.
(4)
Nickole C.

I have never been disappointed a Bijou....the food is local organic for the most part, really fresh and really delicious. I have eaten a variety of breakfast here and being a big breakfast lover I have only done breakfast....they serve it all day!!! I have done Bijou with groups of 2-4 and 9 they accommodated it all though there was a 45 min wait for the group of nine.
(5)
Chris S.

Can get busy....love the breakfast here. They can be a little snooty but the food usually makes up for it. The oyster omelet is wonderful...amazing. Very solid.
(4)
Mimi S.

Pumpkin Tomatilla spread, Cave Aged Cheddar Quesadillas. Enough said. And they even shared the recipe with me since I loved my quesadilla so much. Everything is either: Locally produced Sustainably Harvested Organic Free Range -or- Heirloom The food is terrific and the feel of the joint is warm and cozy. I like. I like.
(5)
Rachael J.

This was the first Portland breakfast I ever experienced but I still remember it as one of the best. Expect a wait on the weekends, but know that it is always worth it. Most of the tables are small but there is an old fashioned counter to dine at as well. The menus always has lots of fresh and local ingredients and suits my healthy lifestyle. I think I need to make a trip here again soon!
(5)
Abby M.

It was a historic time, the day after Halloween. I had just retired my Princess Leia costume, and was desperately in need of some coffee and eggs. Now, you can get those most anywhere. But Bijou cafe also provides you with homemade muffins, house made organic Ketchup and a little bit of that je ne sais qois.
(5)
Paulie H.

Overrated, yes. Food quality, o.k. Service, not really! We were staying in the downtown area and were looking for a good breakfast place. After reading all the great reviews about this place we ventured in. We sat at the bar and got really poor service. I had to ask the server 3 times to fill my coffee. Food was not bad but it didn't excite either me or my husband. I had an omelet and my husband had lamb sausage hash. The best part of my meal was the blueberry cornmeal muffin. I would not recommend as there are so many other breakfast places in the area.
(3)
Liz S.

after reading dozens of recommendations to eat at bijou, i had to go. and, i mean...when else do you get to eat an oyster omelette and oyster hash for lunch? if you really hate the flavor of oyster, don't get the oyster dishes (obvious); because though the oyster flavor isn't overpowering, it is distinct. i loved it, but that's me. i had the omelette with only 2 eggs, since it comes with 3 (for those who think and ask about those things). the generous bacon chunks coupled with caramelized onions was a flavorful blend of savory and mildly sweet...which magically created a dimensional experience of bliss inside my mouth. Mmmm. other small highlights to look out for: -the organic chunky ketchup was surprisingly delicious and added yet another great layer to the omlette. -the latte is strong, and the foam has the perfect consistency. side recommendations: get the omlette with greens instead of potatoes for a more rounded meal.
(4)
Debbie W.

A terrific breakfast - enormous servings with farm-fresh ingredients. The French toast with lingonberry syrup was wonderful. Excellent coffee, beautifully poached eggs. Only downside - would not heat the syrup for pancakes. Still, would happily go back.
(4)
Anne S.

Sigh. I debated on why I would even write another review for a place that's already received 56 of them...but, I decided that the french toast I had there last week was deserving of its own review. I went here for a lunch meeting for work last week and given that the grey concrete days are starting to settle in around Portland, I wanted breakfast for lunch. Kudos to the Bijou for even offering breakfast at lunch! I ordered the brioche french toast (bread courtesy of the Pearl Bakery) and it was AMAZING. I really like french toast but so often it leaves something to be desired--the bread is too dry or it's too soggy or something that just doesn't work for me, where french toast is concerned. However, THIS french toast was perfect. A little crispy on the outside but nice and moist and soft on the inside. Problem was, I couldn't finish it--which is unheard of for me (I'm a girl who finishes my plate). Because they used brioche for the bread, it was super rich...add about a 1/4 cup of butter and some syrup and I stopped 2 slices shy of finishing. Regardless, I've been thinking about this french toast since I last week. Aside from the kick-ass french toast, the coffee was tasty (not like the crazy vacuum-packed stuff so many restaurants use but something that you'd find in an actual coffee shop) and the service was as good as it gets.
(4)
Seamus M.

Almost a reason to visit Portland in itself. I could build a nice day with going to the Bijou for breakfast, walking up to Powell's and checking out the books, then walk into the Pearl to look at the art galleries, have lunch, go home take a nap and then head out to dinner... One of the positive differences between doing business in Portland as compared to San Francisco is the business breakfast. In Portland this is common and I am a big supporter of getting my meetings over with and then having the day to work or if needed travel. Anyway, I am big fan of the Bijou's oatmeal, the give you toasted hazelnuts to put on top, just too good. The omletes are out of this world and they actually fry an easy egg for you. This might be the only place outside of France that understands what "over easy" actual means...
(5)
Courtney D.

Tasty burger and shake at this downtown cafe I know this is touted as a great place for breakfast, but I'm going to give it kudos for their killer burger and milkshake. Definitely try their Bijou Burger. It's made with that tasty Painted Hills beef, but the real treat is the homemade jalapeno relish they add on top. It's sweet but with a kick and so darn good! Definitely leave some room, though, for one of their famous milkshakes. Don't let the higher than average price discourage you -- this creamy treat is worth every penny. Tip: If you love a VERY garlicky and lemony Caesar salad, definitely order one here.
(4)
Gina P.

Today, I dined at the Bijou, one of my favorite Portland spots. My husband has been frequenting this restaraunt since 1981. The original wait staff made us feel good and treated us well, especially because they all remembered us when we came in. The Bijou's notoriety included their exceptional etiquette that we regard with high standards in service and food quality when it comes to eating establishments. I couldn't help but notice that the quality of service from the Bijou's current wait staff has gone downward. My husband & I arrived about 1:45 pm, 15 minutes before closing time. Usually, we are generously welcomed in to dine, even if we had arrived closer to 2 pm. The former wait staff were so friendly and pleasant. Today, the waiter who served us was not concerned with his interaction with us, instead he went on with his closing responsibilities and getting the tables cleared. When we first sat down, he did not greet us, he just placed the napkin and silverware down on the table. He rushed through notifying us of their food specials while maintaining a subtle condescending demeanor in his voice. He failed to mention that they were out of baguette so we were surprised to see whole wheat toast when the food arrived. He did not check up on us at all to see if we needed anything else, nor did he ask us how the meal was when taking our plates away at the end of eating. Also, the food portions were smaller than normal for the price. He was, however, over ecstatic when he spotted his ex-husband outside walking by and hurried out to invite him to sit at the bar where he fully engaged all his attention to this man. I would rather support the surrounding food carts than spend a girthy $9.00 on a diminished portion of pork sausage, eggs, salad & toast and a lack of customer service. Overall, this has been the most appalling eating experience we've had at the Bijou.
(2)
Ashley C.

Excellent service. Charming atmosphere. Food was good. I stuck with traditional bacon and eggs, and my boyfriend got the Tofu Scramble... Delicious!
(3)
Brandi M.

Called, in most publications, a 'long-standing local establishment,' we were excited to give it a try. In short, this place was just ok. Pro's: central downtown location, hopping morning vibe, great syrups and nice server. Con's: Condescending/rude host, VERY mediocre food for the price. My husband and I shared bland, poorly cooked/mushy French Toast & eggs. Booooring muffin. In a city with so many fantastic breakfast/brunch options, we'll probably never go here again unless everything else is closed and we have no eggs & flour in the fridge.
(2)
Emma G.

Weekday lunch at 1 pm ... We were seated immediately, server was attentive, we ordered... and then we waited...and waited...and waited. 40 minutes later our server came over and said our food would be ready shortly (... shortly????) but that the kitchen had run out of ingredients for one of our orders. We ordered a replacement for the first dish, three of the orders arrived five minutes later and the fourth order about five or ten minutes later. Throughout, our server was excellent and apologetic and she took a little off our bill. Her efforts get 5 stars. I love the ambiance of Bijou, and it's one of the few restaurants downtown where you can have a quiet conversation without having to yell over the din. But geez, the kitchen needs to get its act together on the timing. It's a downtown lunch spot...customers need to get back to work! Hoping this was a one-time glitch. The food... oyster po-boy was excellent and definitely worth ordering. Biscuits and gravy were good. Good biscuit, perfectly cooked egg. The meat and gravy were a bit bland. The Roast beef hash was overcooked, meat was tough and utterly tasteless. It was the replacement dish, so maybe the cook rushed it somehow. Hoping this was just an off day for the kitchen. We'll go back at some point and try them again.
(3)
K.J. N.

Had breakfast at the Bijou and was glad that I ordered the Oyster Omelette with a blackberry muffin vs. the Oyster Hash. I think I got more oysters this way! Husband ate the Cowboy Steak with Borlotto Beans. Everything was delicious and organic ketchup without yukky corn syrup makes me happy. We were seated immediately and service was cordial. Our waitress was so nice, she ran off to get restaurant suggestions for dinner and came back with a list. How cool is that?
(4)
Drew L.

Being from out of town I stumbled upon this place for dinner and was pleasantly surprised. The food was outstanding and very reasonably priced. The live jazz added to the relaxing ambiance. Only other place to compare it to is little bird and thought bijou was much better. I hear it's a brunch spot but highly recommend it for dinner.
(5)
Gina C.

Excellent food and great atmosphere. The non-traditional biscuits and gravy was great.
(5)
Debbie C.

I was very disappointed in this restaurant... I was visiting Portland and told by a friend who used to live here that the Bijou has the best breakfast. What they do have is a very limited menu ... And no egg whites ... They do have 3 or 4 types of omelets, 3 kinds of egg dishes, french toast or pancakes and oatmeal -- which they don't serve all day. I ended up getting buckwheat pancakes -- comes with 2 that fill a plate ... and they were good ... but I don't eat dairy or sugar, so they were kind of dry ... i wanted fruit, but wasn't interested in paying another $5 for fruit on top of my pancakes. I was really disappointed when I asked if I could get egg whites and was told no. You can even get egg whites at Denny's for crying out loud. And I get that it's standard to pay $1 extra for egg whites - that would have been fine. Or how about if you give me a smaller omelette and just drain the yolk out like I do at home ... not even an option. So I thought that really sucked - especially when the omelets were $10-12 to start.
(3)
Suie C.

Came here for brunch with a party of 5. There was a wait, but were seated in a timely manner. One thing to note, they only seat if everyone in the party is there. There's a sign right by the waiting list that makes this very clear The set up in casual with many tables and checkered tablecloths. We asked the hostess for a couple recommendations as we waited and she was happy to suggest her favorites. The menu itself consists of mostly breakfast and brunch fares; omlettes, some sandwiches, hashes, french toast, etc. All of us ordered omlettes which came with potatoes or salad and your choice of a bread (toast, muffin, etc). I tried the coffee there which is an organic roast and was very good. I think I ended up having 4 cups of coffee. I had the oyster omlette which was fantastic! Different and well made. It consisted of fried oysters, bacon (from their own pig farm we learned from the hostess) and sauteed onions. Absolutely delicious! I chose the salad which had a light dressing and the wholegrain toast. The portions were filling and just right. I got through most of my plate and was stuffed. They did not skimp on the amount of oysters, bacon, or onions in my omlette. I also tried the farmer's omlette and a bacon and cheese one which were both good. Creamy and tasty. Not your usual greasy breakfast food either. Definitely a good spot, the only reason I'm giving it 4 stars is because the service was good at first but seemed to decline a bit as our meal progressed. Our pepper shaker was out and it took a while to get a new one and I think our waitress decided she disliked us after there was some confusion about who ordered what when the food came out. Her attitude became a bit impatient. Each plate was between $10-15. Overall, very good food, good coffee, clean bathrooms, and maybe our server was having a stressful day. Check it our if you're looking for good breakfast.
(4)
Huey K.

We couldn't get into Mother's Bistro on Easter Sunday, so we went here instead. At the time of this writing, this restaurant had 4 stars -- talk about Yelp inflation. I couldn't believe the roast beef hash had so many positive reviews. It's so boring, and the potatoes needed salt and pepper. Similarly, the mushroom and cheddar omelet was also really bad. Meh.
(1)
Dave B.

Wow!! This place just rocks!! Fast, friendly service and the food is fresh and amazingly well prepared. I had the brioche French toast which was light and delicious, smothered in real maple syrup, along with a great cup of coffee and wonderful fresh OJ. Kevin had the goat cheese cheddar, bacon and green onion omelet and it was simply amazing, perfectly cooked and NO grease at all. His fresh apple cider was excellent as well. All in all a really nice breakfast with great friendly service. Definitely on the top of our list for return visits!!
(5)
christian C.

Overall memory is bland and expensive. The chorizo tasted like ground beef and the "hash" was just chunks of home fries, the "chorizo" and big pepper slices all tossed to together. Doused it in hot sauce and salt and pepper to try to liven it up. The other "hash" was cauliflower, kale, peppers spiced with harrissa. It was particularly galling that they served diner-swill coffee being located right next door to Stumptown Coffee! Two coffees, one juice and two hash dishes was $40 with tip.
(2)
Cristina S.

Visiting from Chicago husband and I decided to have breakfast at this place on a weekday around 11am. Place was packed so we had to wait about 15 min, which we did not mind. Food was good, however service was below par. After being seated we were not offered water/coffee for maybe 10 min and when our waitress finally came over she rushed out of there pretty fast. Finally placed our order for which we had to wait a long time. Since we were on vacation we did not mind that so much but the table next to us was getting pretty impatient. I ordered the oyster hash and hubby had the cauliflower kale hash. Oyster hash was very good and fresh but I would have liked if it came with eggs or some greens. The kale hash was amazing. You could tell they use fresh, high quality ingredients. The dishes did not come toast or anything else, we ended up ordering that after our meal came. During the whole experience our waitress was pretty inattentive and not very nice at times and the food lacked proper breakfast brunch accompaniments. Overall we were happy we tried this place, but will probably not go back only because there are too many great choices out there, so why settled for a place that does not impress.
(3)
Isabel T.

I wasn't overly impressed by this spot but came due to the overwhelmingly good reviews on Yelp. I came for breakfast with a business colleague. I ordered the oatmeal and I don't like my oatmeal runny but this was downright solid. I added some milk and that solved the problem. I liked the little condiment tray with nuts, raisens and brown sugar. I also had toast with jelly. My colleague was upset that they didn't have hash browns but denny's it is not. Happy to hear they take the leftover food and make a compost out of it but overall a bit too pricey for what you get...so A-OK is my rating.
(3)
Sharon S.

Didn't know what to expect when I went in but I was pleasantly surprised. I had the mushroom cheese omelette with toast and greens. I was disappointed that egg whites were not an option. The food was good but felt they should have provided me with two slices of bread. My friend had the buckwheat noodles and that was excellent.
(3)
Kevin N.

My wife liked her oyster hash, and my roast beef hash was okay - a little flavorless. They had fresh squeezed orange juice, although we didn't try it. They had good food options for our two-year-old, they provided crayons while we waited at the table, and had a high chair available. The wait seemed quite long (25 minutes) for a mid-week 11:00 meal.
(3)
Castine H.

This highly-recommended breakfast spot was right around the corner from our hotel...so we hit it on our first morning. We waited about 10 minutes for a table, and the spot was really cute and simple and light and airy. Our waiter was awesome. He liked the BF's Lebowski shirt, so we liked him right away. We ordered two of the Bloody Bijou's...which may have been some of the best spicy Bloody Mary's we've had. They had a Chulula floater, and the best pickled green bean garnish! They were so good, I had to get some on the side, much like olives with a martini. I ordered the wild mushroom, spinach and bravo farmer's cheddar omelet. E got the Chorizo Hash with poached eggs. Both were amazing! The omelet was seriously the prettiest one I've ever seen. Completely puffy and yellow and stuffed beautifully. The Bravo cheddar was so ooey and gooey and there were all sorts of perfectly cooked fancy mushrooms inside. The potatoes were really good, as was the wheat toast. Best part of breakfast was when waiter came to check on us and said "Are you guys still Hangin' Tough, like New Kids?". It. was. so. cheesy. but. awesome. Hahahahaha. Anyways, the breakfast was so good we came back again the next morning. This time, I got the veggie omelet and E got the Green onion, bacon and smoked cheddar omelet. Another round of Bloody Bijou's, and we were just as happy as the day before. Go there.
(5)
Julia K.

Stumbed upon this place since Mother's Bistro is not open on Mondays. For our last day in Portland, my group and I wanted to go out for a nice brunch before we left so we chose this place in lieu of Mother's. The majority of us ordered hashes and they were all pretty good. All agreed that we liked them, but the serving size was kind of small. Luckily, I called ahead that morning and made reservations for us since we were a larger group and we were seated right away when we got there. Otherwise, the wait would've only been around 10 minutes. It was Monday. The service here was good, but as far as the food was concerned, it was ok. Nothing special.
(3)
Meagan J.

The banana nut muffins were delicious! Our server was friendly and straight up which I appreciated. It is obviously a popular place and I love the ketchup. We sat at the bar and were helped right away. Good food, great service, fun atmosphere. A bit on the pricey side, however everything is fresh and you definitely get what you pay for.
(4)
Megan B.

This is our go-to breakfast place when in Portland. It's got a great homey vibe, delicious food and nice servers. I'd recommend * Fresh orange juice or grapefruit juice. Great way to start the day * Any of the omelettes. You really can't go wrong. * Eggs with bacon. Their bacon is *delicious* * Buckwheat pancakes. If you like that kind of thing these are great.
(5)
Gerald U.

I've never been to a french breakfast cafe, but it was very delightful! I saw from a previous yelp post to get the roastbeef hash, but I would suggest getting the items on the special list or something unique. The roastbeef hash was very filling, but kind of a plain taste. My girlfriend purchased the quesadilla it was one of the most unique tasting plates I've ever had. Service was somewhat slow, but the food was worth it!
(3)
Jackie K.

Enjoyed the omelets and friendly staff. Great potatoes!. Very popular spot for locals and tourists. Good vibe and worth the 25 minute wait.
(5)
Tara R.

Definitely the best sit-down breakfast I had in Portland. I laughed at the "organic" ketchup and then tasted it. I took back the scoff...it was delicious. Coffee was great, too. All local food, SO good.
(5)
Eric H.

Nice and very local. Everybody who came in there either walked there or was known by a waitress/waiter or both. Plus they were the only place serving brunch on whatever holiday I was there for. Of course their food was also good. All in all I recommend this place even if you are not a local or walking here.
(4)
Brent B.

Friday night we happened to see that Bijou was open! It's breakfast and lunch usually, but Friday nights they invite a jazz ensemble to perform. Not just your run of the mill group. These folks were great professionals. What a great experience and the food was great too!
(5)
Mary C.

I hesitated a while before entering Bijou. I was only in town for a few days and I was a bit tired of the pastry breakfast from the training I had been in. I needed the hearty breakfast! I sat on their counter table and was greeted by a personable staff. I'm beginning to think that Portland people are just generally nice people! I ordered the Homemade Sausage & Egg breakfast (see picture). It was a burger patty - but the taste was no burger! I can tell that this sausage had a variety of spices and kick to it - believe me when I say that it was really delicious. I wish I was a food guru to know what it was. The scrambled eggs were so airy, fluffy sprinkled with really good cheddar. I know that this may be really bad to my forming heart disease - but I was just tired of the cardboard pastries I had the last few mornings. Bijou's Homemade Breakfast was heavenly! I noticed that Bijou served Illy coffee (a favorite of mine) and immediately regretted the coffee I had gotten next door. :( It's ok! Another great reason for me to revisit Bijou next time I'm in town. I will definitely be coming back to this cafe!!
(5)
Kristine P.

*shrugs shoulders* I had the House-made Carlton Pork Sausage & Eggs. I can make better potatoes at home, blind-folded and hung-over. The only good thing about this breakfast was the sausage and the cup of decaf coffee. There are a TON of better breakfast spots and it's worth it to explore them rather than visit this place again.
(2)
eva s.

Solid. The vegetarian hash thing was deelish!! And perfect for my mini hangover ;)
(4)
JustPeach E.

Cant go wrong with the fluffy griddle cakes and delicious local mushroom omelette! Yummmm! Potatoes were also nice and pan fried crispy.
(4)
Cris G.

This was a recommendation from the valet at our hotel. I am not from Portland. While the plates were pricey for what I'm used to, the food was very good. The food service felt slow, but the waiter was pleasant. I think it was the sweaty guy working the grill by himself that was taking some time. I had the goat cheese and bacon omelette. Oh, it was good. Fresh grapefruit juice was no joke too. Lots of pulp. I like pulp.
(4)
Lala P.

Based on the consistent high quality of the food and service, this would be 5 stars. However, changes over the last few years have diminished the pleasure for my family, longtime regulars. Starting with the remodel which eliminated the wonderful aged wood floors and warm decor, replacing it with a young, but cold vibe. Recently the seating for waiting was inexplicably eliminated, making waiting difficult for seniors, disabled persons and those with young children. Nevertheless, the heart and soul of the Bijou has always been its staff. They are what has kept us coming back in addition to the consistently good food. Over the last few years, one by one the longtime servers have left and just recently our favorite hostess was bafflingly let go. Now we see frequent signs in the window advertising for kitchen staff and on our last visit we were served our first ever subpar scrambled eggs. Get your act together management and recognize your strengths!!
(4)
Rachael G.

Awful service, they were out of beer and bread, BUT my husband loved his Cuban sandwich!! Our waitress was rude and odd- she was a middle-aged woman with gray hair....wish I could remember her name! It was just weird that the first three things on the menu that we asked for, the restaurant was out of. The waitress did not seem keen on remedying the situation. Not even the obligatory "I'm sorry, but we're out of that." Despite the good food we finally received (and made us late for a tour we had booked), we would not return.
(2)
Jenni D.

Spicy pumpkin-seed mole quesadillas... where have you been all my life?!!! These tasty dillas traveled happily into my tummy as I downed each bite with some salsa and iced tea. We enjoyed sitting up at the bar, and I would love to go back soon and try the Oyster Omelet.
(4)
Michael L.

Ate: Kale hash Drank: water Liked: Good hash, good ingredients Disliked: the long wait, but we did have a large group Chicken: yes Would mom like it?: If she was in a good mood Wait: 30 min Would I go back: eh Recommend: The specials board has some good stuff
(4)
C I.

I decided to go here on a Saturday morning based on the reviews on Yelp. I was visiting Portland for a few days. It was around 10AM, and the place was packed. There was a long wait, which is a good sign on a Saturday morning. I got a vegetable omelette with cheese. It was very good! Country potatoes were great too. The service was good considering how packed they were. So here comes the reason for -1 star... Their muffin of the day was Apple Walnut, which sounded so good to me. So I asked the waitress for it , and she said ok. When she brought the food, she told me she had no clue what kind of muffin it was because she just brought whatever came out of the oven! I tried it, and it certainly was NOT an apple walnut muffin. Noooooo... I was so disappointed! I couldn't complain because she seemed very very busy... :'(
(4)
Bill N.

Really, really good goat cheese and bacon omelette. I need to make that for myself sometime. Potatos were barely brown and almost raw. I like breakfast potatoes to be a bit crispy. Meg had an oyster omelette that she really liked. We were here on a Saturday morning about 9:00, just before the line started to form... also...didn't like the wheat bread- too hard.
(4)
Casey H.

Best French omlettes, and everything else is consistently good. My favorite breakfast spot in Portland.
(5)
Chris O.

My wife and I love this place, but today we BOTH GOT SICK, after eating there. Anyone else? December 26, 2011. I have never had a problem here in the past. Everything has always been top notch. Today we shared each other's food. The two items we both had are: House-made Carlton Pork Sausage & Eggs & Pastrami - with house-made sauerkraut on rye. We both have nausea and something else which needs Imodium. I hope I can make it to the store and back..
(5)
Stephenie B.

Was expecting a whole different experience, unfortunately (hopefully) caught them on a bad day. We were a group of 7, and even though they only had about 6 other tables seated in the whole place, crammed us in a 5 top to where we were practically sitting on each other's laps. It would have been very easy to move another smaller 2 top over, and there was no high demand for any tables around us. Bacon was good, organic, $1.50/slice, and microscopic. Left a lot to be desired. Food wasn't terrible, just average. Our waiter was friendly and food arrived fast.
(2)
Kris U.

A perfect Sunday brunch experience and these are the reasons why: - Cute cozy place with the charm of a small town diner only warmer. - Super friendly waitress who was so obviously in love with their food. She informed us they use mostly organically grown local products. That always gives me the warm fuzzies. - My "special omelet of the day", chorizo and smoked cheddar. It came out so perfect, with the eggs appearing in such a crepe like delicacy that I kind of hated to break it open. But once I did it revealed a hearty amount of flavorful spicy chorizo and cheese inside. - The anisette orange toast. Perfect flavor and not overpowering, on toasted bread al la Sizzler cheese bread style...YUM! - The side of tomatoes on my plate (please get this side instead of the potatoes!). It's been a long time since I've seen a tomato this gorgeous: vibrant red in color and the perfect amount of firm and juicy; it was the perfect "dessert".
(5)
Raymond T.

Second time dining here and both times it's been outstanding! Their omelets are so light, filled with a variety of fresh, local ingredients. I had the Redwood? With bacon, goat cheese and green onions along with home fries and muffin. They make their own ketchup which I could eat plain! Excellent coffee and service..This place can get busy but its worth it!
(4)
Roseanne J.

I love this place, everything was good.
(5)
Mari N.

Very thoughtful breakfast menu with some interesting specials. Nice to be able to have green salad as a side instead of carbs. Service is friendly and efficient. Tables are very small: our party of four was squeezed into what would be a 2-top in most other restaurants, so when my loose-leaf tea came, there was no room for anything else at my places (teapot, bowl for strainer, sugar, milk, cup). I have tried as number of breakfast spots in this area of Portland, Bijou is my favorite.
(4)
Chris C.

I've been going here for years and still enjoy it immensely. If I'm asked to reccommend one dish it would be the TOFU SCRAMBLE WITH PARSLEY & GARLIC SAUTÃ‰ED IN OLIVE OIL.......DELICIOUS EVER TIME! Doesn't matter who's cooking it....they never mess it up and the flavors/seasoning is amazing. Get in there and get it ASAP!
(4)
Zaphod B.

Great coffee, brioche french toast was quite good. Bacon done properly and the service was efficient and friendly. Not quite Screen Door, but less of a wait for late risers.
(4)
Mike R.

I like going here after 1:00 pm on the weekend. No waiting but they close at 2:00. You might miss out on some specials but the main menu is delightful. Oyster sandwiches or hamburgers are wonderful. Oysters come with homemade cole slaw love the jalapeÃ±os that spark up its taste. Hamburgers have homemade potato salad no mayo substitute with yogurt instead! The staff are great and even by the end of their shift are still doing a great job to make your meal pleasing and tasteful. Their muffins are made fresh daily and are wholesome as well as tasty alongside your pick from the menu that day. There are numerous other hidden delights that you will find when you enjoy this popular Portland eatery.
(5)
Rick M.

Pretty much just 'meh' all around. Service was meh, food was meh, atmosphere was meh, nothing really stood out about this place at all. For the same money I can get way better service and food at a number of places like screen door or tin shed.
(3)
Andra H.

Yummy yet expensive food. Try to go when the owner isn't there, so you don't have to witness her yelling at the staff while they serve you food.
(2)
Anna B.

Hey, Bijou- do you know what a hash is? It is not a cold plate of large diced potatoes with overcooked meats thrown on top. A hash is a magical dish that should be tiny pieces of all involved ingredients, given time to meld in a medium-hot saute pan. The meld is key, too- hash ingredients should all have taken on the subtle tastes of one another. Here's the sitch: Bijou is fun in that it is an old Portland mainstay, and it's fun to go downtown for breakfast once in a while. Fun place to take visitors- check out the Wall O' Pets in front of the restrooms. They were very accommodating to our ever-changing guest list. We were that annoying group of people with too many to fit at one table. Good job Bijou for being chipper and friendly when we finally sat at two separate tables, 40 minutes later. Mad props. However, food. was. awful. The appetizer muffin was garbage. We had three hashes on the table: roast beef, mushroom, and oyster. Roast beef was naught more than a pile of tough sinew atop unsalted potatoes and underneath two undercooked eggs. I'm all for runny eggs, but you have to at least pass the cooking point of slime-whites. Come on. The oysters, while breaded in cornmeal and fried (anything prepared as such is usually delicious) were so far overcooked that it was a crime. Flash fry. That's all you need to do to cook an oyster. Do not defer from this edict. Unless you're slamming them down your gullet raw, those slimy bastards should not be in a pan for more than 20 seconds. Mushroom hash: more than ten bucks for cold potatoes with maybe three quartered criminis. 'Nuff said. The cute pot of ketchup and a heavy dousing of salt helped a bit, but not lots. Could have made ten servings of that myself for $2. Service, while not good, was VERY friendly. We are a free-wheelin' and easy bunch. We are not phased by being given the wrong plate or drinks- we roll with the punches. But when the water-filler-person comes by and fills up a juice glass with water and comments, "Wow, that looks gross and cloudy", we've got a problem. We had a pretty involved discussion about the perfect mimosa ratio while waiting for our food. My stance is that the perfect mimosa is 100% bubbly and 0% juice, but the rest of the table contends that 75/25 is good. I'll take their word for it, but bet on the opposite at Bijou. Lotta juice, a little bubbly (of unspecified variety on the menu... Freixnet?). It's a $0.25 difference for the juice. Kudos on the fresh dates in the fruit plate. No kudos on charging $2.50 for a half grapefruit. In conclusion, we had a nice time. Everyone was friendly and accommodating, even when we had a last-minute diner show up mid-meal. Losta fun conversations, including with the waitress, but the food is not so good. Perhaps a nice place to take the visiting out-of-town parents who are not foodies, but not a regular hangout.
(2)
Philip S.

Very good lunch on 15 September. First time in since the remodel. Everything very tasty.
(3)
carrie r.

The food was boring, plain & so over priced. We were a table of 4 & my parents use to love this place. It has been years in-between visits. This place has gone down hill! Each one of our plates were over priced, undercooked eggs (I mean runny egg whites dripping off the plate. gross!) & the service was the worse! Our waitress looked like she hated her job & us along with it. I had to go to counter for refills of the coffee, ask another person for water & track down someone to pay our bill after waiting for 15 minuets! She (our waitress) wouldn't tell us her name (now I know why) but she is older, long grey hair & crass. I would run from this place & find another wonderful place to eat. This was by far one of the worst dining experiences in Portland & I do not understand why anyone would give it anything more than a one star. Between poor service & over priced gross food, I am surprised this place is in business at all.
(1)
JEN S.

I am one of Bijou Cafe's biggest supporters but after todays fiasco I'm adding it to the "banned" list. My husband and I were seated around 11:30 and placed our orders by 11:40. We sat in the middle of the dining room for nearly an hour while our waitress ignored us and two sets of patrons at each table around us had been served, eaten and paid. Our waters were filled every 15 minutes but not once did our waitress even look at us, nor address why our food was taking so long. We both ordered the two egg dishes, the simplest and easiest things to make on the menu. Closing in on the 50 minute mark my husband got the waitress' attention and said, "Excuse me I was just wondering if our food..." and he was abruptly cut off as she said "an order is up in the kitchen!" We had wanted to ask if our food had been started because if not, we were going to cut our losses and go somewhere else. Turns out it was our orders that were up, she slapped them down on the table, again without making eye contact or apologizing for the wait. She then dropped off our bill 30 seconds later. I just don't understand the rude service. My husband and I were more than courteous, we didn't even ask her for one thing until an hour later when we were wondering where our food was. All she needed to do was address the situation rather than completely ignore it. I am typically a 20% tipper and have only NOT tipped twice in my life, this was one of those times. I have noticed that the service is quickly going downhill. I am not sure what happened to the very friendly host/waiter that used to work there, he was awesome.
(1)
Sean J.

Not as good as Mother's or Fuller cafe. Eggs are underdone, even for over easy. Potatoes are very good and I really like the homemade ketchup. The baguettes are great with the jam and butter. Very long line, slightly chaotic wait list and they don't call you so you need to be in the lobby when it's your time. Not too bad.
(3)
Eddie C.

Had a delicious omelet made w/ local wild mushrooms. The salad that came w/ it was excellent, super fresh greens and an amazing lemon vinaigrette. I also love that they serve great loose leaf tea that you can steep yourself, and also at the right water temperature. Dragonwell tea was excellent, in large part because they actually used water that wasn't boiling, which a lot of places in America unfortunately still do for green tea. Best meal I had in Portland.
(5)
Ann S.

Too few vegetarian options and the tofu dish they do have was inedible.
(1)
Cookin B.

A legend and will always be. Don't ever close this place. Keep it alive forever. I've known the Bijou for some time now and the omelets are just as perfect as they were back in 2002. Mixed well, perfect color, light and flavorful with perfect ingredients of sauteed onions and chanterelles. (the special omelet) The Bijou is what eating better is all about and worth every cent. Now that they are serving drinks, there's nothing like a Gin and tonic in the morning, to enjoy a fine breakfast served from friendly people. the remodel is not bad, but I am not a huge fan of the servers wearing black and the cooks NEED white chefs coats. Eve is number one.
(5)
Katherine A.

Went in for brunch and ordered oatmeal (which is on their menu), but apparently they don't serve it after 11 (which is not on their menu). That's fine, but the sandwich I order in its place was not great. The turkey was tasty, but there was no trace of the jalapenos described on the menu, and it was entirely too sweet. Additionally, the sandwich also managed to be dry. Finally, the waitress forgot the coffee I ordered, however, she was great about a food allergy in the group, so that's a plus. I believe this was a unique experience - everyone else in my party was very happy with their meals - but I felt it merited a review. I'd give it another try, but I certainly wouldn't go out of my way for it.
(2)
Anthony C.

Goat cheese omelette cooked perfectly. Side of Harissa was an excellent accompaniment. Sweet potato muffin so good I ordered an extra to bring home to my wife in Arkansas.
(5)
William W.

This is a good place to eat breakfast. The omelettes are French style, with a lot of interesting choices, such as smoked goat cheddar.
(4)
David P.

The roast beef hash with 2 over easy eggs was the best breakfast plate I've ever had. Period.
(5)
John D.

Mediocre food, mediocre service our server wasn't bad just seemed like he needs a good day at the beach to relax. A bad bloody Mary, how do you mess that up? Not impressed maybe I have a high standard for breakfast food but after almost an entire bottle of the green sauce, extra salt and pepper it started to have enough flavor to eat... We had the hash & a omelette both where pretty bad if I'm being honest with everyone reading this, I wouldn't recommend eating here until they step it up a bit.
(2)
Laura J.

This was a fantastic little place in Portland across from the Embassy Suites Hotel downtown. I popped in for brunch everyday and everything I had was fantastic -- the fresh tomato and goat cheese french omelet, the burgers with tomato jam, and all the cocktails were fresh and interesting. I wish we had one of you in San Francisco!
(4)
Jessica S.

This is one of my go to places for lunch with my fave co-worker. What keeps me coming back? Actually the cornmeal pancakes. I am a sucker for pancakes and the Bijou's version has a sweet but not dessert sweet flavor. The chicken that comes with it is just ok but a good companion to the cakes. Throw some honey butter and jam on it, that's what makes it. Another go to is the tuna sandwich. I like a good sandwich that doesn't have that fishy I came from a can smell or taste to it. This delivers on that. The bread is thick enough to hold up to the juices from the tuna and even add a slight crunch to the texture. This place is so close to work, it's consistent, and they make me an Arnold palmer which is what brings me back. It can get crowded on the weekend, so you may have to wait, the staff is friendly, and it's pretty open inside. So the bottom line is I'll be back.
(4)
Sarah G.

Hostess said wait was 10 minutes, we waited to be seated for about 30 minutes. Ordered our food and waited for another 30 minutes to only receive drinks. Started seeing people who sat down right before us paying their bills and people who sat down after us eating. We got up and left. Hostess gave us some excuse that tickets don't always go in in order and our server said we could stay and eat on them. At that point it wasn't even worth it. What a shame to leave Portlands breakfast scene this way. I'd highly recommend Broders NÃ¶rd off Albina and Mississippi yellow line or The Original off 6th and Oak. Mothers also looked good but the wait was an 45-1hr.
(1)
Charles C.

First time trying French style omelettes and I am sold. The farmers omelette included onions, bacon, cheese with the flavor of a rich french onion soup. The eggs were very light as they are quickly taken off the skillet. I also enjoyed the sides of the salad and baguette.
(5)
Joni W.

Great service and delicious pancakes! +1 for Very clean, gender-neutral bathrooms!!! Decor needs a facelift.
(5)
Paulette L.

We came here just before noon so the wait wasn't too bad, about 30 mins (it was an hour+ wait at Mother's Bistro down the street!). I like how you just write your name down so you can pop in and see where you are on the list. But then again, it's hard to find the host when you have a question. Service was great. Our waitress at first mentioned they were out of vanilla for the french toast, then came back to offer it up since they got some in. Ambiance is pretty casual and open. It's not a huge space, so don't get mad at a little elbow bumping. But do get mad at a butt tapping your drink.... yeah that happened. I got the bacon wrapped eggs with chimchurri sauce and biscuit special. That was gooooood, but a little hard to eat. The bacon wasn't too crispy (and i love burnt bacon) and I specifically asked for well-done eggs. Everything tasted awesome, don't get me wrong. It was just plated so pretty that I had to destroy it to get a little bite of everything. Hubs got the brioche French Toast. And I would highly suggest getting the Brioche French Toast because THAT is how French toast is supposed to taste. SO GOOD. Creamy and perfect inside, a little texture on the edge. With the Marionberry sauce. Heaven. There was some hype about their biscuits, which is partly why I got the special. It's pretty good - nice and dense, flaky and tasty, unlike some places where their biscuits taste like balls of flour. I wouldn't write a sonnet about it, but they tasted great with my meal. So why the 4 and not 5? I think I had high hopes for more of a "French" menu (whatever that means). The dishes they offered seemed like typical American breakfast items to me. Another big perk? It shares a wall with Stumptown so you can get your caffeine on while waiting for a table. I'd love to come back and explore more of the menu.
(4)
Leila L.

This place serves the most delicious breakfast food I've ever had! I arrived with a large party (8 of us!) and the hostess rearranged tables to seat all of us together in under five minutes. Very impressive! I ordered the special, poached egg over asparagus, with wheat toast and a coffee. Everything was impeccable, even the re-fillable coffee!. I also tasted a friend's carrot muffin, it was perfectly baked--crispy top with tender insides. Highly recommended!
(5)
Tara N.

Food was excellent!!! Fresh and flavourful. Had the French omelet: fines herbes. Eggs were made to perfection. Flavours were magical. My earl grey was loose leaf and very tasty! They did not have organic milk nor did they have gluten free options for the bread. The potatoes were breaded so I didn't have those either. Had a basic lettuce salad with lemon juice and a hint of olive oil. Delicious: yes. Service was not the most authentic. Server was rushed and a little out of it. Didn't really see much service. The vibe was non-descriptive. There was a stale odour in the building which didn't make the vibe as appetizing. Overall: blah
(3)
Mateo G.

Stopped by while walking around downtown. The food was very tasty. I had the farmer's omelette and my friend had the redwood hill omelette. Both delicious. The options for sides were potatoes, green salad, wheat bread, baguette, and ginger mandarins muffin. We had the muffin, baguette and the salad. They have delicious organic ketchup and mixed berry jam. It's a bit overpriced, but I would definitely go back.
(4)
Julie G.

Waited quite awhile for a seat because people would sign in, leave and 5 minutes after their name was called and they were checked off as a no show, the hostess would seat them. Excellent food but the service was a little slow. Not as noisy as I thought it would be. Their omelettes are large enough to share and they have killer jam for your toast. I might look for another possible diner next trip just because of the time issues.
(4)
Doris G.

Busy place but had fairly quick service. Good was very fresh tasting and great flavors, I ordered the special grilled chicken with provolone cheese, garlic and tomato on ciabatta bread. My husband had the grilled ham and cheese on a ciabatta roll, he said it was very tasty
(4)
Dario S.

This was actually only our second choice since we couldn't get a table in time to avoid Sunday morning starvation. Here we had to wait 7-10 minutes and got a table for two. The menu is not too big and offers a nice selection. I took the cauliflower menu with an egg. It was delicious. The only thing which bothered me was the cilantro. ( Ihatecilantro.com ) Nice place which seems to be popular in Portland.
(4)
Pamela S.

Came on a Sunday morning for brunch and they were packed, but we actually didn't have to wait too long - we were able to have some coffee and sit at a table outside. Would have been a leisurely wait if there weren't a guy at the corner in front of us shouting about Edward Snowden and trying to hand out some literature. I got some type of benedict with biscuits and gravy. It was a huge portion as expected. Noticed they had some unique options on the menu, such as oyster hash and a clam omelette. Bijou focuses on sourcing and serving local ingredients. Excellent service, super friendly. Adorable brunch spot, I definitely recommend.
(4)
Heber S.

Food amazing. I can't lie about that. Crowded long wait list and hostess made the call and let some dipsh*ts who missed their call about 15 people back who left and came back in ahead of us and the 20 other people waiting. Hostess took a tip as these tw*ts waxed her. Then where does she take them? A great big table for 4. There was a party of 4 waiting too. I wasn't the only one about to flip out. The couple next to us were too. I hope the food calmed them down as it did for me. Everything else went satisfactory. Food is amazing.
(3)
Samantha H.

I was in Portland with my parents for a few days and we stumbled upon this place as we were looking for a place to eat after a long flight. The food was amazing! Everything tasted fresh and well prepared. I loved their hash. We loved it so much that we went back a second time during a trip. I highly recommend this place for brunch or lunch.
(5)
Kris B.

Don't let the line out the door deter you. Find your way inside, and write your name and party size down on the sign in sheet. Once seated, take a look around at the bright yellow walls, ceilings and rafters - cloudy or sunshine, it just seems brighter in here. This was our first time and we went straight for the oyster dishes, the omelette and the salad. If you dine with two, have an entree with a baguette and one with the daily muffin. The plump fried oysters were crispy on the outside, sweet and creamy on the inside. Included in the omelette were thick chunks of bacon and sautÃ©ed onions. I really appreciated the way the omelette was prepared, not over done and slightly runny in the middle. The side salad was like lightly dressed with oil and vinegar, nicely cutting the richness of the eggs and shellfish. Bring a Visa or cash as they do not take American Express.
(5)
Sherri P.

Their fresh orange juice is the best I ever had. The wait for the table was worth the experience.
(5)
Tim R.

Was here for brunch with a large group. They did a superb job with the customer service. Good brunch selection had me going with the Chorizo Hash, tasty and filling. Would come back and try other dishes.
(4)
Laura M.

YUM!! Excellent brunch place! Super cute. Friendly service. We both ordered a french style omelette. I had the mushroom and cheddar omelette, it was absolutely delicious. My boyfriend had the Redwood Hill omelette (smoked goat cheddar, bacon and green onions). He enjoyed his but tried mine and wished he had got that one too, it was just so good. Freshly squeezed OJ, fresh baguette, apricot jam, savory potatoes, organic ketchup... it was great! Go!
(5)
Christopher B.

Keep Portland weird. This is the definition of this place. The first thing we were asked as we were greeted was whether we watched the State of the Union. I was the only one at the table and she looked at everyone else and told them they should be deported and walked away. Now that's a welcome if I've ever seen one! Our waitress oozed with personality. The food wasn't too far behind. I didn't know what a French crepe was. I'm still not completely sure. What I do know is that it's the best thing I've ever had. No other crepe will come close. I went with the Oyster because of all your yelpers. No regrets. The baguettes with homemade preserves were a home run for me. I could have eaten 20 of them! The coffee was good too. The whole experience from start to finish was second to none. Loved loved this place!
(5)
peabody j.

A Portland Classic. Always good service, not overly long a wait, and fresh, fresh, properly cooked breakfast. I've always adored their fresh muffins and seasonal compotes, and they have the best proper french omelettes in town. I'm a sucker for any place that has seasonal veggies incorporated into a changing menu - which they do for omelettes and hashes. I also love a great simple, fresh green salad with micro-greens and a light vinaigrette with herbs. A proper side salad with breakfast food is awesome, and they nail it. They have servers that have worked there for years and years and years, it feels like a real Cafe with known long-time waitresses like you might find in a bigger city like New York. One of the best simple breakfast places in town. Simple, fresh food, seasonal ingredients and professional service. Great fresh squeezed juices as well.
(5)
Joel D.

I had the oyster omelette with potatoes and it was near perfection. The caramelized onions it it were wonderful and worked well with the brininess of the oysters. I'm not sure that the bacon was needed as it didn't really add anything. All in all, it was a great meal. The staff was friendly and attentive. The place was comfortable and clean. And the noise level was pleasant. Definitely worth a repeat.
(5)
Michael S.

The first time I visited the Bijou Cafe, I thought it was great. What's truly delightful is that 32 years later, it's even better: a top choice for breakfast or lunch in Portland. Yes, I'm well aware of the fact that there's a lot of great food in Portland. I did my best to sample as much of it as I could during a recent six-day visit. But the Bijou is so good that I had breakfast there five days and after I dragged two colleagues with me, they joined me for the rest of their time in Portland. Here are two examples of just how good the Bijou is. I travel extensively and this is the only place I've visited in the past year that served my eggs soft-scrambled, the way I asked for them. [That includes really expensive restaurants.] And between the three of us, my colleagues and I ate ten omelettes over the course of our visits; none of them was any less than perfectly cooked, with a creamy interior and not a spot of brown on the exterior. The point is that The Bijou's food is really good and they wouldn't have to pay attention to such details, but they do anyway. What's even more impressive is that this extraordinary quality comes at an extremely reasonable price. So what did we like? There are so many good choices on the menu, it's hard to know where to begin. But how about with these dishes: Bacon and oyster omelettes, with sautÃ©ed onions and an ever-so-slight bite (from cayenne in the oyster breading, I figure). A delectable, tender omelette, creamy on the inside, and filled with excellent gruyere, herbs, and a fistful of chanterelles (our waiter said: "Our forager has been bringing us basketsful of chanterelles this season"). A hash of cauliflower tossed with black olives, home fries, and feta and seasoned with harissa, topped with the afore-mentioned soft scrambled eggs. That one just might have been my favorite. Some of these dishes were accompanied by a small green salad of really fresh greens, dressed with a light vinaigrette. Accompaniments are also excellent. Fresh-squeezed orange juice clearly was: one day, it had a slightly tart, acidic bite; the next morning, it was a bit sweeter. Berry muffins one morning had just enough sugar in them to develop a slightly crunchy exterior, but not too much to be cloying. My colleagues enjoyed their (Illy) coffee [true confession: I'd had my caffeine fix at Stumptown, right next door). The room at the Bijou is light and airy--or it was on the days we were there, when the Portland weather was fairly sunny in the morning. And service is friendly and professional, but not overdone. And truly, that's in keeping with the food: first-class but delicious and approachable, with unexpected tastes that are very well balanced between bolder flavors and more nuanced ones. My first visit to the Bijou was in 1982 when friends took me there for breakfast. At the time, there were many abandoned buildings on Third Street and I clearly remember how the cafe's lights beckoned to us. I also remember how much I enjoyed the food then: I ate my first marionberry muffin at the Bijou. So it's with great delight that I returned and found that the cafe wasn't only in business--having survived the intervening years--but that it's in fact even better than it was in those days. That's no mean feat in an industry where it's very tempting for long-established restaurants to coast on their reputations and grow slowly worse every year until they suddenly close. So, congratulations to the owner and staff: and rest assured that when I'm in Portland, I'll be a regular. Bacon and oyster omelette, anyone?
(5)
Liz K.

The oyster omelette with a side of potatoes and a house made biscuit with strawberry preserves is HEAVEN ON EARTH. The mimosa is fresh and potent... The service is great... The coffee is spot on... This place is a new favorite for every visit to Portland.
(5)
Emily S.

Had an amazing Sunday Brunch here during our trip to Portland. I ordered the mushroom and cheddar omelette. It was so fluffy and amazing, I could have eaten two. Sadly they were out of baguettes so I had to go with wheat toast alongside it, their homemade jam was to die for. The potatoes served with it were absolutely delicious as well. We had to wait a little bit, but the servers were very nice and the food was delicious!
(4)
Marie D.

Our waitress was an interesting lady which was a pretty good intro to Portland as a whole LOL. Restaurant is cute and the food was really good. I had the biscuits and jam with a kale, cauliflower omelette thing, both of which were excellent.
(4)
Maddie N.

Delish! Service was on the slow side, but the food did make up for it all. Great atmosphere, nice place for brunch any day of the week. I got the zucchini omelet & it was perfect. Their special was a caprese style peach and beet salad that my mom ordered and it wasn't what she expected, but she was blown away by the deliciousness of it. We were not disappointed.
(4)
Jean K.

Brunch is actually really hard to get right. I'm really particular. I don't go out to eat food I could easily cook at home. At 7:30am on Saturday there were 10 people waiting outside for this place to open. But by the time everyone got up hours later there was a short half hour wait for a table of 5 - just enough time to go to voodoo donuts next door. It took us a while to decide what to order. Our server was super nice. We even shared our don't with her. After ordering it took a really long time for the food to come out. Good thing we had those donuts to bible on for the next half hour. Finally we get for our food - farmers omelette, 2 cauliflower kale hashes, oyster hash and plain eggs/toast/salad/fruit. My oysters were big and plump, nicely fried. The parties were bland. Not browned up with crispy edges. Onions were also bland. Just limp and not caramelized. Ask the hash plates had this problem. My friend who got the omelette liked it. The eggs and toast were ok - only one piece of plain toast, kinda meagre. I don't think this is a good example of Portland's famous brunch scene.
(3)
Jennifer K.

Delish!! My family and I stumbled upon this cafe and oh my, it is absolutely AMAZING!!! I would totally go back here for another meal and I have even recommended it to a friend as well. A tad on the pricier side, but not too pricy, but it is worth every penny. My picky 8 year old even loved his food! I am also a picky eater and I was extremely happy with my food!! Wait staff was fun as well! Overall - go there and check it out yourself. You won't be sorry.
(5)
Natalie S.

Love the cappuccino! I also tried the almond biscotti. I got great service! The space is bright and quiet. I came in the middle of the day on a workday and there was plenty of room to sit, read a book, and work on my computer.
(5)
Jared M.

I was really excited for the roast beef Hash and it was just kinda meh. Everyone was very nice and even though they were busy I never felt rushed and my BF really liked his French toast and sausage.
(3)
Daniel S.

Had a late breakfast here two days in a row. Both days were exceptional. Good attentive service without being harrassing and the food was all extremely good. Good portions without being obnoxious and just the right amount of everything. We had gone down to Mother's to try that the second day, but the wait was 45 minutes and it was hot and stuffy in there. Bijou was about a 10 minute wait and it was comfortable and not nearly as loud and busy. I learned my lesson.
(5)
Lauren A.

Best french omelet Ive ever had. Green onion, cheese and think bacon! Organic ketchup for my potatoes?! Blueberry muffin melted in my mouth. It was right across the street from our hotel (Embass. Suites) and 100000000x better than Vodoo Donuts a block away. An amazing breakfast! Our waitress was an angel :)
(5)
Jon B.

Really enjoyed brunch here. Fantastic omlettes, local cheeses, unreal bloody Mary's great service!
(5)
Jessica S.

This place has the best beet and sweet potato salad. Yum! I love trying new places in between my work meetings. The environment was nice, and quiet enough that I could get some work done while eating. The service was very attentive.
(5)
Rip M.

Amazing food, beautiful restaurant. I would recommend trying the bacon wrapped eggs, they were the best meal at the table by a long stride. The menu description did not do it any justice. Would highly recommend to friends and family looking for a good breakfast and brunch cafe in Oregon
(5)
Kayla D.

Honestly this is the best omelette I've ever had. The service was fantastic and the ambiance is lovely. I will definitely be back!
(5)
Bill E.

Hit up the Bijou for an after work brunch recently and in serious need of a cocktail. The place was busy but the bar was wide open so what the hell. I was pleasantly greeted by the staff and asked if I wanted something to drink. The Spanish Coffee has been my go to breakfast/brunch/dinner cocktail of choice for the last year or so. I should have taken a step back when the waitress asked me what was in it and started looking for the bartender's bible. A comment was made and I took it as a cue and pulled up a recipe on my phone. Meh.... The food was pretty damn good but the whole cocktail debacle overshadowed things. If you are going to have a bar, staff it!
(2)
Aeric E.

Very good breakfast fare and refreshing sparkling wine cocktails. They were open when are normal haunt was not on a holiday weekend. Bonus points for that. Grab a coffee at Stumptown and stand in line. It's worth the wait.
(4)
C B.

The wait here wasn't so bad on a Sunday morning. Unlike Mother's around the corner, we were able to get seated in a decent amount of time. Our waitress was a sweetheart and loved her humor! Loved how she emphasized what was local to Oregon as we were from out of town. We were a table of 4, two of us had the brioche french toast which was amazing and a large portion they could have split it. We also had the ham, biscuit, gravy and eggs which were super scrumptious. The last of us had sausage and eggs and cleaned his plate. Totally hit the spot for touring around Portland for the day!
(4)
Fred C.

A fan! Visited during snow storm Feb 2014. The place has a great feel and the waitperson was great. She had a very dry sense of humor, was fun and totally honest. We were all extremely pleased. Personally, I have to say the fried oyster hash has to be one of the better breakfasts I've ever had! A great introduction to Portland and a place I would return to again and again if I lived here.
(5)
Julie F.

Hotel recommended it and it was great. Fun, not pretentious atmosphere with friendly, efficient service. Great omlettes and juices. We had no wait early on a Saturday because we chose to sit at the bar. Stuffed ourselves with an affordable oyster omlette and the daily special, asparagus, spinach, caramelized onion and gruyere masterpiece. Perfect start to the day and our tour of the city.
(5)
Cathy W.

I had one of the best breakfasts in years at Bijou Cafe, but for all the wrong reasons. The service was indifferent and slow. I was fifth in a long line on a Sunday morning with about eight people behind me, and empty seats at the bar. I was alone, and waiting for one of the servers to make eye contact and acknowledge the line. The sign at the entrance said, "Wait to be seated," so those of us in line waited, and waited, and... got into conversations with each other as we waited to be admitted. It turns out there is a list to which you are supposed to add your name when you enter, and eventualllllllly, one of the servers will come over and call you. So, that's my tip for you. Secondly, because of the long wait and the group's shared sentiments about the lousy process, I had a great conversation with the people behind me. This turned into eating breakfast together, where we talked about the professional activities that had brought us all to Portland. We agreed to keep in touch from our respective east and west coasts. The food was decent. When someone in my party commented to our server about the busy-ness of the cafe, our server barely restrained a yawn and blithely indicated it was like that all the time. Not for long, Bijou, not for long! C'mon, add a sign, make eye-contact, and be friendly.
(3)
Matty W.

Great breakfast on a Monday morning before flying out of town. No wait to get in, and the food was excellent. I had the oyster hash, and my wife had the cauliflower with kale hash. Both plates had great flavor.
(5)
Diane C.

Bijou has been a bright PDX breakfast spot for many, many years. We got there right after 9 on a Sunday and beat the crowds. The service was great. We ordered the French Toast (yummy) and an omelet. Really great...
(4)
Elaine K.

Our experience here was only "meh", from the service to the food. I can barely remember what I had to eat and we were just there a few days ago! Is it bad to say that the best part of my meal was the freshly squeezed orange juice? I'd skip this restaurant especially considering all the other gems there are in Portland!
(3)
Neha M.

While we were waiting for Mother's cafe waiting list to become current, we stumbled upon Bijou and we were so glad that we did. We decided to ditch Mother's. We took the bar seats at first and were given a table. I had coffee and enjoyed free refills. Food-wise, I tried out the oyster omelet which was decadent and rich with fried oysters (of course) and bacon (lots of it). I opted for the pepper muffin which was amazing. D had baked egg with Andouille sausage with potatoes. Both were delicious and not overly large and heavy. Overall great place. Will be back to try more stuff.
(4)
Lucy G.

LOVE. LOVE. LOVE. We got here crazy early, with only 35 minutes to scarf down breakfast. This, it turned out, was a tragedy as our server steered us away from ordering meat, which was all cooked to order. No meat? No breakfast meat!? Well, my very basic yogurt and granola was perfectly proportioned and delicious, and my friend's eggs were flawlessly, fluffily scrambled. He usually never eats the potatoes. Here, he was compelled by their rosemary-scented, garlicky goodness. Oh, and the bacon (the quickest meat to cook) was thick and crisp and savory in, like, a complex way that is downright inappropriate for 8.30 on a monday morning. Also, the strawberry jam! And, the fresh-squeezed glass of Grapefruit juice! So fresh. I cannot wait to come back for one of those towering bowls of hash.
(5)
Rasta V.

Awful. I'm not sure why this place has so many great reviews. The food was barely edible, poor customer service, place had a strange unpleasant odor and we were over charged for our meal. No apology given and server an older woman didn't care if we had a great dining experience. First and last visit to this restaurant. Not worth a visit, better dining experiences available close by.
(1)
Dexter D.

Walked about a mile from our hotel to have breakfast here. Service was very good as was the food. I had the oyster hash and I forgot what she had. I just know that she enjoyed hers as much as I enjoyed mine. We also ordered a fruit plate to contrast all the heavy foods we'd been eating for the past week. Looking around, every guest was smiling over their breakfast.
(4)
Andrew G.

A local restaurant in every respect: locally sourced food as well as most of the worthy locals. Your reps as well as council members and the Mayor all dine here as well as the usual artist/music/post hipster crowd. When in season the snapper hash is a must have, as well as any dish with their great array of varietal shrooms.....be prepared for your servers political opinions on whatever the topic of the day may be...this place is all of what Portland is in one room....weekends are jammed after 8:30ish.
(5)
Heather N.

Nicest waitress ever!!! She offered to go to her car to get a map of the city, so that we could better enjoy our vacation in Portland. We didn't let her but gave her a fat tip! I had a cheese and mushroom omelette that had a wonderful sharp cheddar and somehow still firm, sautÃ©ed mushrooms. Husband had smoked goat cheese omelette. Cleaned our plates!
(5)
L T.

Great breakfast place w/ tasty oyster hash!
(5)
Alex F.

This is what a cafe is all about. It seems like such a simple concept, but the execution is usually just off. Bijou Cafe does a brilliant job of delivering quality, unadulterated food. The menu is simple and straightforward - perfect for early breakfast or brunch. Even the lunch item I tried was just right! I tried the cranberry compote/turkey sandwich on a ciabatta roll as well as the potato sautÃ©. The sandwich was well-balanced and subtle; it didn't taste like a big bite of Thanksgiving. The potato sautÃ© was probably my favorite. I could tell it was freshly prepared, and the seasoning was just right. My only complaint about the meal was the fresh orange juice. It was super bitter! They needed to mix in a different variety of orange to give it some sweetness. The homemade ketchup made up for it, though. I couldn't get enough!
(4)
Charlie Y.

Was on my way to Voodoo doughnuts, but with the line around the building, I decided to stop by Bijou Cafe. I classic cafe in a cozy setting. Ordered an oyster omelette (fresh NW oysters, bacon and onions) with potatoes and baguette bread. The omelette was absolutely amazing. I believe dreams are made of oysters and bacon (right?). Nothing overwhelming and all the flavors working in harmony. Definitely on the savory breakfast side and one of the best I've have. Also had a tasty glass of fresh squeezed grapefruit juice. Some of the waitresses here are seriously attractive, gorgeous.
(5)
Jimmie S.

The food here was absolutely delicious. There was a bit of a wait considering it was late morning on a Thursday, but it was well worth it. My eggs and veggies were perfectly prepared, and my meat-eating friend said his chicken confit and apple pancake were the best thing he'd eaten during our whole vacation in Portland. The staff was quick and friendly. I wish we'd gone earlier during our trip so we could've visited a few more times. Ah, well. There's always next vacation!
(5)
sarah l.

Service - good, down to earth servers and hostess. Food - I had the french omelette with oysters. DELICIOUS!! I love the style of the french omelette b/c it's softer, lighter, and very fluffy. the carter farm eggs were the best eggs my husband has ever had! but the pork sausage was kind of weird and made him burp all day long. gross. Homemade Jam was delicious.
(4)
Bruce W.

Bijou is our favorite Portland breakfast spot when visiting from the SF Bay Area. We've been three times in 12 months and have enjoyed the food made with quality locally-sourced ingredients, good service and all around good vibe each time. The coffee is dark and rich, the OJ freshly squeezed, and the egg dishes have always been served with the eggs cooked a bit on the soft side, which I think is the only way to eat eggs. During our first visit, I was on a hash tour; sampling a different treat each morning (Gravy, Fullers, Bijou, La Provence in Lake Oswego). When I saw the Oyster Hash on the menu at Bijou, I knew I'd have to try it. And, while I did enjoy the first few bites, a little goes a long way because it is so rich. On my second visit, I had the Roast Beef Hash and liked it better over all. My wife and daughter have eaten the omelets and loved them. We'll be in Portland again in a few weeks and will be heading back to Bijou Cafe for breakfast again.
(4)
Steph A.

First off, service was great! My waitress was smiley, attentive and never let my glass of water or coffee go dry. Food.. Well the menu was deceiving... I ordered the cauliflower and kale hash. I was excited for vegetables, because to my disappointment, Portland is such a heavy meat and potatoes kind of place. This only added to my disappointment. The cauliflower and kale hash consisted of 4 sliced pieces of cauliflower and a sprinkle of shredded kale. The kale only served as a garnish! It didn't even add up to one leaf of kale! The plate was 90% potatoes! Portland likes to think its a foodie place but its only a foodie place if your from the Midwest. My fiancÃ© ordered the farmers omelet. It again was mostly potatoes. Cheap and deceiving. We ordered the buttermilk pancakes and instead were served the buckwheat pancakes. That was fine, we didn't point it out or send it back. I was a little irritated that she didn't say anything when she gave it to us. CLEARLY it was the wrong order. The pancake was a giant soggy floppy mess. I regret eating it. Overall disappointed in the food. Don't get me wrong, we ate our food because we were starving and in a hurry, but we'll never come here again. I was really hoping for beautiful vegetables but just ended up with the same heavy food being served everywhere else in Portland. I feel like they have nice ingredients but they don't know how to use them.
(2)
Lindsay P.

We really liked this little European oasis... that cafÃ© feel, bright setting with great background music (there for brunch so no live music) I enjoyed a unique hash; cauliflower, kale and harissa. I expected it to have a little more heat then it did, but otherwise it tasted great. I also enjoyed a loose leaf earl grey. Would be a regular if I lived close by.
(5)
Viola Y.

Love the tofu scramble here! I come here for brunch whenever I visit Portland.
(5)
David c.

Bartender from el Groucho recommended this place and he was right. The food has several Mexican/Cuban/American fusion breakfast items which were delectable. They get their incurred bacon from a local farm and all of their vegetables are organically grown. Great breakfast and very nice server
(5)
Waled M.

Ok food .be careful with the bread they will charge you $2 every time you ask for more
(3)
Bertha F.

Unfair seating policy! We had been waiting over 30 minutes when the hostess shouted "we've got two at the bar for whoever wants it!" Two men farther down the list than us swooped in and took the seats. We pointed out to the hostess that we (and others) were higher on the list. She responded, "Well, there's nothing I can do now." We left. I would also like to add the that restaurant had stuffy, stinky air. We will never return.
(2)
Tamsen G.

Update, sadly, with a downturn for the once perfect Bijou. Why the long face? I'll tell you. In the traditional Bijou, which really didn't change for years and years, you could have breakfast in a warm, bustling room with original hardwood floors, exposed brick and beams, and a 'diner grows up' ambiance. And the food was wonderful. They used to have the best pan fried potatoes in Portland. It was really a destination spot for us, and had a very unique feel. I came in again with my son a few weeks ago - and much to our dismay and chagrin, they had remodeled. Or semi-remodeled. Hard floors replaced with vinyl (BOOOOOO), bricks painted over, and a new "corporate" feel. Now, I live in the corporate world myself, but the best thing about Portland is that you can escape from it in many great restaurants. The last thing I want to do on a weekend is to go to corporateville. Bijou Cafe always had corporate diners, and I have been one of them. But boo on Bijou for taking away what was really perfect the way it was. AND THE BACON!!! Ugh. I ordered a side of bacon, and it came to my table DRIPPING with fat. Like, all over the bacon pieces and the place was splattered with it. It was an utter FAIL. I had to send it back, it was just gross. Oh, and the perfect panfried potatoes? Their once crisp panfries have gone limp. And they've cut the portion size down considerably. Net net: We're shopping for a new favorite breakfast spot. Sorry, Bijou. Your original splendor will be missed.
(3)
Lan H.

We just finished the Worst Day of the Year Ride, and we were starving. We first headed to Mother's but the wait was 45 minutes. We Yelped for another brunch place and found Bijou, which was a few blocks away. Thank goodness! Loved it. There was a short wait, and when we were seated, our table was close to the door so it was drafty. However the food made up for it. I had a mix of fresh squeezed orange and grapefruit juice, which was just a perfect mix of tart and sweet. I ordered the buttermilk fried chicken and cornmeal pancakes, which was a menu special. Delicious. The chicken was seasoned well and very crunchy. The pancakes were dense and served with a bell pepper paste, which was very tasty and complimented the cornmeal in the pancakes. The pancakes also had honey butter, which is always good. Since I was starving I also ordered a side of three fried oysters and a poached egg. The oysters were a little under seasoned despite it being advertised as having paprika, which I did not taste. However it was fried well and had a nice crunch with the goodness of the oysters. The poached egg came out just right. My friend had the cheese omelet, and he said it was excellent.
(5)
Mondo F.

Skip that crowds at Mother's (though this place can get crowded at times) and come here for amazing food, excellent service, and a nice dining room. I've ALWAYS enjoyed my meals here!
(5)
Bruno G.

A nice breakfast and very friendly waitstaff. There was about a 10 minute wait for a table, even on a Monday morning, and it was longer by the time we left. We would go back.
(4)
Shannon H.

Like a lot of places in Portland, tries hard to be trendy. Clean place. Food was ok. Waitress was brief with us, but warmed up as the breakfast went on. Had a much more enjoyable breakfast at the Dinerant. Probably more my speed...
(3)
Kirk F.

Creative and beautiful breakfasts. I had the oyster hash and was really happy. Lots of other breakfasts that will get me back for another visit--I like that the omelets are not the huge, giant, fluffy gut-bomb variety, they are delicate with more emphasis on the fillings. Good coffee. I was there on a weekday and so there was no line...lines kill me. Off a star for haphazard though friendly service--it just seemed like a long time to order, get coffee, etc. given the moderate crowd.
(4)
Victoria C.

I'm not sure what the big deal is with this place. People keep telling me that Portland is a foodie city, but so far, during my three weekend visits here, I've yet to believe this. At Bijou, the wait is long, the servers minimally friendly with barely a good morning, and the food just average tasting. My bf liked his orange juice (fresh squeezed, and nicely sweet) and chicken quesadillas with pumpkin mole, but it was overstuffed with too much chicken and not enough sauce. It was very dry. I got the oyster hash and was not impressed. Sure, they were generous with the oysters, but I'm not a fan of the cornmeal dredge. It was way too blackened and pretty much burnt. And the potatoes were likewise on the burnt side. I love me some crispyness, but damn. I don't want to eat charred food. I'd probably come again, though, just because there's not many other brunch places to go to aside from Bijou and Mother's Bistro.
(3)
Mari K.

OMG OMG OMG. Best Omelets ever! Seriously, love to go out to restaurants for breakfast and this one did not disappoint. The menu was focused and rustic, ingredients fresh, ambiance is like a cute little french bistro. I had the wild mushroom omelet and as a mushroom lover was in total heaven. The eggs were so fluffy, seriously magical. OH and the homemade ketchup. YUMMM. I will definitely go again next time I'm back in Portland!
(5)
Heather S.

Having brunch, grilled coulote stk with chanterelles.
(4)
Alexandra S.

Great breakfast, fantastic service.It gets busy so come early to get a seat!! Very kid-friendly without being kid-oriented. The rare place that has the required kid options (plain pancakes, plain french toast) plus intesting breakfast options for grownups (kale and cauliflower hash with harissa -- yum!)
(4)
Astra N.

I've been coming here since the mid-eighties, and the Bijou lives up to its name - a gem, in every sense of the word; it's the Best Breakfast Place in Portland; period. My favorite is the Farmer's Omelette - while I'm normally an Eggs Benedict kind of guy, if I'm going to be downtown in the early morning 'cause I've gotta make that trip to Zupan's, then I'm torn between the Eggs Bennie at the Hotel D-Luxe, or the Bijou. Usually the Bijou wins out. The casual dress code (it's a hangout for local hipsters who've found the best of everything in downtown) means I can show up in shorts and a t-shirt without anyone looking at me strangely - and did I mention the omelette? I don't know how they do it - I've traveled extensively, and they make the lightest, fluffiest omelettes I've ever had, period, right here in my hometown. Local ingredients are key here - if something's out of season, don't count on them bringing something in from out of the country (by example, right now is the best season in ten for Chanterelle mushrooms; they'll do Chanterelle's in your omelette - and on a lot of their other dishes - for not a lot of extra scratch.) Get yours with a salad (they do a pull-no-punches Champagne vinegar/Dijon mustard dressing); as in the photo, there's a baguette involved. Portland Roasting's coffee and orange juice fresh from their own kitchen will complete things nicely. Warning: It's not Denney's-cheap; you're paying for some of the best kitchen and front-of-the-house talent in town; go there twice, and they'll remember your name. As mentioned, everything's local, and everything's fresh - and you *can* tell the difference. Worth every penny.
(5)
Richard B.

Nice place for brunch, located next to Stumptown Coffee. The food is simple and direct. I loved the buckwheat noodles with slaw and mushrooms. Best of all, our waitress took time to point out she has one of the weirdest bikes in Portland, draped in plastic flower leis. Toto: this is Portland.
(3)
JW R.

"Oh, we don't have soft drinks." the poor waiter said. It was all I could do to not bust out my best Lt Cedric Daniels impression. This. Is BULLshit. No pop? What the hell? Are you trying to fuck up my morning? Dirty hippies can make it to the God damned Cash & Carry to pick up a flat of Mexican coke but you people in black can't manage that? Why not put up a sign on the door that says "Boring Assholes Only." Hey, this is my subjective experience. Go get your own. I like pop. Also, crazy waitress who walked up behind Brett and apropos of nothing TOUCHED THE BACK OF HIS NECK to fix the tag on his t-shirt, how do you still have a job? So, the food. It was okay. My scrambled eggs were cooked just a few seconds past runny. I like them set a bit more but they were still okay. The bacon was good and the diced potatos were, well, not hash browns but I've accepted that most lazy hipster pseudo-fancy pants P-town breakfast cooks can't be bothered with hash browns. Anyway. Questionable inventory practices and crazy servers (although the one we had was nice enough). No way I'm coming back to this place. Fair? Life's not fair.
(2)
Nyll L.

This was awful. Just awful. If I could give it no stars I would, but the waitress was pleasant, so I suppose it does deserve one. No notice when I walked in - took a while for the clearly harried hostess to help me (new to the restaurant, wasn't clear you just had to sign in and wait to be called). Atmosphere is fine. But the food...the food... The food was absolutely awful. It was laughable. And what was more absurd was that I paid more than $15 for a terrible breakfast. Tofu scramble was greasy, no vegetables in it. Salad next to it was poorly dressed and tasted limp and bland. The fruit "plate" I ordered consisted of a dessert plate with 6 paper thin slices of strawberry, 5 brown slices of banana, a paper thin slice of orange, and a few token cubes of cantaloupe. The tea, which was $3.50, came with water that was lukewarm. Ugh.
(1)
Seb D.

Every trip to Portland involve a bfast at Bijou. We had breakfast there this morning and one again it was delicious. I usually go for the special of the day which I had again this morning..... Fantastic!
(5)
Sonia C.

I liked the food here but I didn't think it was as good as the two other brunch places that I've been to in Portland - Mother's and Tasty n Sons. The location, however, is super convenient if you are staying in downtown Portland. I ordered the mushroom hash which had some very tasty mushrooms but also contained too many potatoes and too tart & spicy salsa. It was still good, but the sour salsa got to be overwhelming after awhile. It also did not come with eggs or toast. Overall, I thought my dish was probably the least winning out of all the dishes at my table. Besides the sauteed mushrooms, the best thing about my food was the side order of super juicy and fresh heirloom tomatoes. Everyone else seemed to enjoy their food and from what I've sampled, it seemed like I had just ordered the wrong thing - hence I'm willing to give this place 4 stars. The oyster hash (also sans eggs!) was pretty good - very large oysters breaded and deep fried over the same bed of potatoes. I guess deep-frying something always makes the whole dish better! My friend said her oyster omelette was also really good - it was served French-style and seemed to be crammed with oysters and bacon. They also serve an assortment of homemade jams at the table. Service was great. Waitress came by to refill water and coffee glasses multiple times.
(4)
C T.

Vegetarian friendly, i was thrilled to have breakfast at the bar this morning --black kale, cauliflower, dried black olives, potatoes, feta with 2 gorgeous sunnyside eggs perched on top. Meat-eaters, you might think this sounds gross, but there looked like lots of meatalicious things to have. I was in heaven. the portion size was perfect for me with good presentation. definately will go back. I thought it was a little expensive for a non-meat dish $11 but everything was fresh, local, thoughtful. I'd have like to pay about $9 then it'd be 5 star. Note: sitting at the bar made it super easy, and the staff were very friendly.
(4)
Myca T.

Tasty and a nice reprieve from the rain. Food was delicious and artfully plated. It's kind of small but very airy and bright. I got an omelet with sausage, spinach and goat cheese and I ate every last bit of it with the apple muffin.
(4)
Francisco M.

Who dares not give this a 5 star review? Bring them before me and I shall deliver a stern finger wagging and a haughty tsk-tsk-tsk. This place is unbelievable. I went there two times this weekend, once on business and once just because i had to share it with family. On the first visit, my associate and I had already ordered; he the buckwheat pancakes and I the granola and yogurt.. After placing our order, we saw the kitchen guys come in with a whole mess of fresh Chantrelle mushrooms. You want to know how I know they were fresh? Homeboy had mud on his boots. THATS RIGHT they went and got the damn things and were featuring them on their special board. Gryuere and Chantrelle omelettes. I regretted not getting that, but I didn't make the same mistake twice. I did go back and get the omlette a few days later and it was just out of this world. I can say that i left, fat, dumb and happy for sure. I seriously hate finding places this good, only because in Portland there are so many good dining options. How can I just restrict myself to one place? Am I cheating on the Bijou if I have brunch at another location next time I'm in town? Will I just be going through the motions, feeding a basic need to dine thinking about Bijou the whole time? Am I less of a person if I have a moment of weakness with Voodoo Doughnut? Byways keeps looking at me too, should we get a cup of coffee? These are valid moral and ethical questions that deserve an answer.
(5)
Chris W.

Worth the wait...you'll wait between 10-30 minutes and you need to sign in on a clipboard much like playing pick-up ball at the Y. Aside from the occasional screaming kid, a nice downtown atmosphere with an unfinished warehouse feel. The menu was pretty much broken down into omelets, cakey stuff, and house specials. We had French toast, pancakes, and the spicy lamb sausage hash. The French toast was average so if you are in that mood, go for the pancakes!! They were awesome - I ordered an extra one (which was slid onto my order at no extra charge!) The lamb hash was a nice combo of spicy lamb sausage, breakfast potatoes, onions, and covered by an over-easy egg. This dish would have been plenty on it's own but my taste buds were diverted by the luscious buttermilk pancake. (see photos) It took forever to get our check and we had to ask the waiter for many things during the meal, but the food made it worthwhile.
(4)
Terry S.

First of all, the marionberry jam is delicious, on it's own or spread on their perfectly soft an crusty baguette. Their omelettes are cooked with a perfection I haven't seen anywhere else. I had the goat-cheddar bacon omelette, and my girl had the chanteuse mushroom omelette (daily special). Both were great, but the mushrooms were way too earthy and mushroom-y for my taste (I tolerate mushrooms, but don't worship them). We got in at 8 am on a weekday, got a table with no wait, but the place had filled up by the time we left. Kind of pricy, but not formal. Great place for a tasty fancy breakfast.
(4)
Shannon B.

I was intending to visit a different cafe, but they were closed and Bijou Cafe was within walking distance. This is a very artsy and quirky place. I ordered the tuna panini with the house salad. Nothing special at all!!! The house salad was very sloppy and carelessly composed of lettuce which was not fresh as evident by the the brown tinged pieces of lettuce. It took forever to get the check and then finally get the change.
(2)
Catherine G.

I'd like to tell the woman who has banned Bijou that she should not give up! We went this past Saturday and had a very nice personable hostess and a great waitress (Eve). The place was busy but we only waited 10 mins which is not bad at all. It was my first time and I had the Farmer's omelet which was really good and the grilled cinnamon bread which was insanely good! Oh and what's not to like about a mimosa made with fresh squeezed orange juice?! I'm not often downtown on the weekends but I would recommend it!
(3)
Tran L.

We visited based upon Yelp reviews and unique menu offerings. I ordered the Oyster Hash, and my BF had the Seasonal Squash Hash. Both dishes were large and great to share and pretty good. A little pricey. We received the same size portions and ordered more at Mother's Bistro for about the same price... I did love the space--high ceilings, cute design and large open windows and space.
(3)
Chris D.

Came here because we'd eaten 2 days in a row at Sugar Mama's. Orange juice: perfect. Cappuccino: perfect. Pear muffin: excellent. Salmon hash: not actually hash, it's a hunk of salmon over chopped fried onions and potatoes. Not bad. Wild mushroom and cheddar omelet: fluffy, mushroomy, cheesy perfection. Made me realize that I stopped liking omelets because they're always overcooked, and this one wasn't. Like every breakfast place, it gets packed around 10am on weekends, so haul yourself out of bed sooner.
(4)
Elizabeth C.

Stumbled upon this place cause we really wanted to have breakfast at mothers bistro but the waiting list was ridiculous so we left..we found bijou cafe near by with a shorter wait so we gave it a try.. First of all, the waitress was an elderly lady who is prob really miserable in life, wasn't friendly at all, meant to place our napkin and silver wear on the table but literally slammed it on, I asked for a Bloody Mary and she asked me why? Aren't you too young to be drinking anyway? I said no and ill show you my ID, she said no and walked off. Came back with a horrible drink as well as my breakfast which was really oily and greasy. My bf was satisfied with his omelet but we're sure to not come back to this place again.
(2)
Andrew S.

Great breakfast! The strawberry rhubarb compote (daily special) was amazing over buttermilk pancakes. Plan to wait a few minutes for a table though, they are busy.
(5)
Aaron D.

Great food, great service. Joel was a gem. I'm so glad he decided to not stay in LA like me. Portland the place for him, and Bijou's the place for me. Get the brioche french toast. It's the best I've had in the PNW.
(5)
Brian R.

I've never been a big fan of text speak, but Bijou CafÃ© is an OMG. The Oyster Hash is singularly one of the best things that I've ever eaten. In a Portland filled with amazing places to eat, this is a great place for breakfast or lunch. They also have dinners, which I have not tried, and jazz evenings, which I would love to try one day. The place is Aging Post Hippie, and the servers tend to be senior granola mamas big on personality but a little forgetful here and there on details. They drop a star because the 70s decor needs a refresh. Five star food does not deserve a three star dining room.
(4)
Robert W.

Best breakfast in Portland - great omelettes and oatmeal. Friendly, efficient service. Pleasant setting and great location.
(5)
Adrian K.

I have the fondest memories of coming here as a kid, nestling down at the table and drawing in my coloring book as we brunched. This is one of those iconic Portland spots... it's been around forever, and with good reason! Their brunch makes me homesick. (Nevermind friends or family, just their brunch.) It's always been a bit of a wait, but so utterly worth it.
(4)
Samantha T.

The oyster hash.... very very good.... you have to try it to believ it. Don't forget to add a sunny side up egg on top of it.
(4)
Jessica C.

Great little cafe. The food was wonderful and the service was even better. Our server Andrea was very accommodating and knowledgable. Try the tofu scramble! Will definitely be going back soon. Highly recommended :)
(5)
David W.

I had an omelette. The bacon inside was very tasty. It was very light and creamy. The OJ was freshly squeezed. I really enjoyed the place.
(4)
Grace H.

Terrible waitress and the pancakes are very undercooked. I actually tasted raw dough in the two bites I ate before I asked the waitress to take them back and bring a darker, cooked pancake. 10 minutes went by. No pancake. The waitress walked by three times and never communicated if the pancake was actually on it's way. She even left the bill on the table and to-go bags for the stale muffins that came with the lukewarm, runny omelet After 15 minutes I put on my coat, scarf and went to pay my bill and asked the same waitress if she would take the pancake off my bill since it was not brought to our table. She said it was coming and to wait for it. I went back to my seat and my guest took the bill to the manager and explained that we had been waiting for the pancake but now we had to leave. The manager took it off the bill, and for the trouble she did not charge for the coffee. As I was just about to fill out the tip portion on the receipt, the waitress walked up to me holding a plate with a pancake and said "Do you want this to go?" I said no thank you. She then proceeded to toss the plate across the counter and said "Anyone want a pancake?!!" The manager had to hold out her hand to stop the plate from sliding off the counter. That was the first time in my life I have left ZERO for the tip.
(1)
Beth A.

I don't like eating breakfast... and I LOVED brunch at the Bijou Cafe! The food is unbelievable--I shared the sheeps milk feta omelette and the omelette with the bacon, cheddar and chives. I would recommend getting the sliced side tomatoes--they tasted homegrown and were amazing. The oatmeal was also great as were the potato dishes and the pancakes with fruit on top. The service was good too!
(5)
Kevin H.

I was hovering between two and three stars here. Love the space, cool folk art on the walls, nice vibe going on. It was busy, but they have a self sign in list which I dig. We ordered eggs and house made sausage and the beef hash. The eggs were fine, toast was good, berry jam lovely. The sausage had a peculiar blend of spices that i could not immediately identify, but it was not my favorite. It was served in one small patty, so portion size was an issue here as well. definitely house made, but the spice combo was a bit odd, as well as being on the bland side, not enough salt and pepper. The hash serving was monstrous, with big chunks of beef and potato and onion.One issue here was that the meat and hash was void of flavor. It was more steamed than hashed if that makes any sense. No crispy bits, no seasoning, not even a hint of brown on the meat. This dish was very bland and texturally not too appealing. Coffee was good and hot and the service was ample. I did see some killer looking omelets go out, so if I was to give this place another go, I might lean that direction.
(2)
Doug R.

Really enjoyed the breakfast and the atmosphere. Very friendly staff and customers
(4)
Nio S.

What a great morning to start off with amazing breakfast at this awesome restaurant. I would suggest getting here early because the line starts to pick up around 9am and it is out the door. The turn around time for waiting is pretty fast but I would still get here early. My wife ordered the Farmers Omelette and I got the Brioche French Toast that came with two different syrups and strawberry preserves...we tried each others dishes and both were amazing with vibrant flavor...definitely a place to experience in Portland for breakfast, I hope you find a chance to try this restaurant....happy eats!!!
(4)
E G.

There is nothing inherently wrong with this spot. However, I feel that the food is mediocre. I paid $10 for two undercooked eggs and 3 minuscule pieces of fancy bacon. I'm still hungry.
(3)
William P.

How did it take me so long to try Bijou? After just one visit, I'd say this ranks among the best Portland breakfast experiences I've had west of the Willamette. Everything was pitch-perfect: the light, open decor, friendly service, delicious cranberry-blueberry juice, nourishing tofu scramble, and so on. And, to top it all, reasonable prices. The only place that approximates the casual elegance of Bijou on this side of the river is Besaw's. But I dare say I prefer Bijou. Let the B's have it.
(5)
Pam R.

Great food.... Literally everything on the menu has been fantastic! Worth the wait to get in!
(4)
Jeff M.

Used to be our go-to breakfast spot when we stayed downtown. Much of what they make is excellent, but the roast beef hash left me wanting. Too many tough chunks for 8 AM. Plus it got stuck in my teeth. Plus you are likely to get a an arrogant waiter. DEFINITELY not OK at 8 AM. However, they open earlier than Mother's, so we gave them another shot this morning. Great eggs and taters. Great granola with fried bananas and (GASP!!!) clearly non-WA/OR apples. So so cinnamon french toast. The best part was our extra-friendly waitress who immediately began enthralling us with her observations about politics, society, and the 60's. We'll go back now.
(4)
Linda F.

Excellent food, especially the oyster hash which was delicious and very rich. The server dropped our check when we received our food and only refilled the coffee once towards the end of our meal. Understandably, they were busy but we felt too rushed. The hostess was very accommodating and polite. We were told a 30 minute wait but it only took 10 minutes to get a table.
(4)
Kerala Jane H.

4 words: Sheep's milk feta omelette. Simple, remarkably satisfying and oozy. However, the eggs had a weird consistency. They were too perfect and smooth, there's no way they can be normal... is there? However, the flavor was still tasty, and I really can't stress how amazing an omelette filled entirely with fresh delicious feta is. Also, I'm normally not such a huge fan of homefries, but I would eat these again in a heartbeat. There were plenty of crispy bits, which is pretty much the only thing I like about homefries.
(4)
melita s.

Unique, tasty brunch options prepared with fresh, locally-sourced ingredients. We had the chicken quesadilla and a delicious cauliflower and black kale hash. Service was prompt and attentive, and we didn't even notice that we were the last customers in the restaurant because we were distracted by our delectable dishes, and no one tried to rush us out :)
(4)
Matt M.

Cafe Bijou is a friendly little breakfast joint. The omelets are amazing! Perfectly cooked and never greasy. The atmosphere is clean, quaint and cozy. Staff is very friendly and you get a sense that everyone cares about the outcome for each guest. I recommend Bijou for breakfast as I have not been there for lunch or dinner. Very affordable breakfast.
(4)
Helena B.

OK, imagine the cutest place you've ever had brunch. Now multiply by ten. And add gingham curtains. (love!) I only had to glance at the menu for a second to know what I was getting. Pumpkin Mole Quesadilla! Um, have we met? I love mole... and pumpkin... AND QUESADILLAS! Swoon! (They lived up to the hype, too. Perfectly spicy mole with a touch of nutty pumpkin. I had my plate scraped clean in no time). Boyfriend's Mushroom Hash looked like nothing special - you know, like I could make it myself. However, I've come to learn that the things that look the most simple tend to be the hardest to get right. Either way, it was quite tasty (if a touch heavy on the potatoes, which we both agreed were "filler").
(4)
Maile W.

The place is spacious and nicely decorated. The waitresses were very friendly and nice enough to accommodate all of us that went here.
(4)
Jordan M.

Food is great the service could be better.
(4)
Bianca F.

I had the buckwheat pancakes. They were pretty dry. The best part was the marionberry sauce that comes on the side. The fresh squeezed OJ was perfect. What bothered me was that my water cup was dirty, they didn't replace it until half way through my meal, and I had to ask for soy milk 3 times before I got it. Generally the service wasn't great and it wasn't that busy. The waitress even tried to deliver our food to the wrong table. I think my friends liked their food but I didn't hear huge raves.
(3)
Martha R.

This is the best panini sandwich that I have ever had. It was the mushroom panini - perfectly sauteed mushrooms, the spinach was perfectly done (not too mushy, not too crunchy), the cheese was melted and creamy, and the mustard was there with force (thanks you). The bread was also awesome - the super-grain bread that makes you feel like you're eating a meal when you've just eaten a slice of bread. Plus, the slice size was just right - not too thin, not too thick. The lentil soup was a little bland, but it was still quite good. The service was very average... otherwise I think that it would have received the full 5 stars. I really have never had a tastier sandwich. Did I say that already?
(4)
Tony O.

Had the two specials Easter morning... Andouille hash with an egg on top and the asparagus and goat cheddar omelette... both delicious. Menu was really appetizing in this cute corner space. Very funny waitress was charming without being overbearing, service was quick and friendly. Drinks were super strong, too! Highly recommended for brunch.
(4)
Aliya Y.

without a doubt, the most perfectly cooked french omelet I have EVER eaten! I had no idea how delicately fluffy on the outside and yet so smooth and custardy on the inside an omelet could be. Bijou cafe has seriously spoiled me for any future breakfast omelet meals. I had their sheep's feta omelet, with a side salad dressed in lemon vinagrette and a pear spice muffin, I also had some fresh squeezed orange juice to drink. Everything was AMAAAAAZING. only thing that could be improved is the cheese to egg ratio, they were very generous with the feta in the omelet and it was a bit overpowering, not to worry though, I just scraped some of it out and it was fine. seriously...one of the most perfect breakfasts to date, it's a week later and I am still not over it. I may have to visit Portland again just to eat here :P
(5)
Ryan O.

Meh.... Service was waaaay slow, and overpriced! Seriously! Sat at the bar even and still had to wait 20 minutes to order a mimosa.... Portland has much better to offer
(2)
James M.

I used to eat buckwheat waffles here in 1988 when I was four. It has been a haunt in my family in all the intervening years and one I am very proud to claim. So for 25 years my family has been eating breakfast here and though it has been sporadic, as we have moved, It has always been a special place. A place whose food and atmosphere is always great over many years is truly an institution.
(5)
Heidi J.

I ate here 4 times in my week in Portland. Partly because it was across the street from my friend's house but mostly because it was really good. The oatmeal pancakes were really really good. And the short stack is still huge. Their organic syrups are super amazing.
(4)
Joan D.

I'm reviewing again - after having done so LONG ago. Since they remodeled, and our favorite maitre D left.... it's not the same. That would be OK, but the food quality is falling. We ate there past Sunday and the bacon is now some thin flimsy cheap stuff. Plus we ordered the special Sourdough pancakes with boysenberry compote. Well my hubby got 20% Boysenberries and 80% blueberries in his compote. I got about a 50/50 mix of boysenberries and blueberries. We complained and told them they should change the sign (chalk board) if they are going to change the recipe! We told three people finally my husband said, "You shouldn't LIE." which garnered a reaction but no change. Come on - the tourists flock here - maybe they should go round the corner to Mother's if you can't keep up the quality.
(3)
Seth M.

got an apple cider. very good got an omelet. chedder goat cheese, bacon, and onions. the bacon was so meaty and flavorful. so good the potatoes were also very good. i didnt even need to put any ketchup or anything on them. they were good on their own. very good service
(4)
Sherry Y.

Great place for a nice leisurely lunch (don't tell the boss) or have a nice lunch meeting. If you work around the corner as I do you can make it in and out in an hour easily (half an hour if you skip the chit chat). I had the french toast with berries and whipped cream(on the specials menu)--tasty. The waitress was nice, made sure our beverages were filled. They bring the bill with the food. Subtle "get our now?" or we know you're busy and maybe you just want to get in and out? Anyone want to have a nice lunch downtown? I'll meet you at Bijou.
(4)
Laura N.

Menus with pictures. They seem to stir up different emotions with everyone...but for me, it is always slightly unsettling when the food that arrives looks so much like the picture that you're convinced the chef is cooking by numbers rather than using a recipe. Bijou did NOT have picture menus. However, the food elicited this emotion. It came out looking so perfect and undisturbed that I could have been convinced it was cooked in some sort of food shaped mold and injected with flavor and color! My veggie omelet tasted oddly similar to my potatoes, and while fruit dish boasted some rare additions, they all tasted the same. Hmmm... The food was certainly good, the service was quick and friendly. Was Bijou the "Jewel" that name insists? Perhaps. But did it live up to the hype? Most definitely not.
(3)
Luna P.

Oyster omelet was well cooked; sweetness of caramelized onion plays off nicely with the crisp but not dried not oily bacon and oysters in a soft creamy dreamy fluffy blanket of egg. But the highlight was the surprisingly yummy pear muffin that was freshly made in house.
(3)
Dino M.

I had high hopes for Bijou after moving here. I heard a lot of good things. My expectations were not high as I am a food realist, but man, what a disappointment. I definitely dig the decor and the ambiance. Also like the open kitchen. I ordered the roast beef hash with 2 eggs up. Instead of hash, all I got was a pile of tasteless chunks of potatoes with some pieces of beef (they were tender) that didn't have a bit of carmelization. It was like they were cooked on a part of the grill that was WAY too cool. I have to hand it to them that the eggs up were perfect though. All in all a big pile of garbage. And no toast for my eggs? And all for $12.25??? Give me a break... Our server was most gracious and charming.
(3)
Pat C.

After all these years, Bijou is still one of my favorite breakfast places. They serve consistently great breakfasts and have wonderful servers.
(5)
Cher F.

Why are most of these downtown Portland, Oregon restaurants/cafes always pretty damn good? I have no idea what these Portlanders are putting in their eggs but its hella good. Bijou Cafe was so packed but everyone is so friendly that you don't mind bumping into them. The service was superb! The wait staff acted as if I was a regular customer! This is definitely the hot spot for breakfast or lunch. You have to try their roast beef hash as well as their oyster hash. BOOOMB Diggity! Drinks to definitely take on are their orange juice. That is some fresh ass juice. They fresh squeeze it as soon as you order it. The wait for seating may vary depending on the weather because when it's pouring out, they got a long line outside, but when it's sunny, try and squeeze in before the lunch hour. Breakfast is usually the best time to go.
(4)
Lily S.

Ahh the Bijou. Located in dt Portland, just a few blocks from Saturday Market, the Bijou... Wait...WTF am I saying? Let me start over. I like the Bijou. I don't love it, but I like it. It's always crowded, which I take as a good sign, and the food is relatively speedy. However, the service isn't always that great, and my omelette this time around was kind of runny. Overall, I'd go again if I were in the 'hood.
(3)
Kristine A.

Smoked Turkey was surprisingly different and delicious. I sometimes get a specific craving just for that
(4)
Andrew H.

We want it, we love it, we come back kicking for more. And they oblige.
(5)
Ada T.

My boyfriend and I stopped here for lunch based on the recommendations from Yelp and Chowhound. I'm usually not disappointed when both those sites are in agreement, but I definitely left Bijou Cafe thinking, "huh?" The cafe itself is nice, big, and airy. However, I found the French-influenced menu pretty uninteresting. I ended up getting some sort of standard breakfast that involved eggs and sausage and bread, none of which I found particularly impressive. My boyfriend got French toast, which he also seemed to feel indifferent about. Perhaps if I'd ordered one of their specialties like the oyster hash I would understand the fuss, but I don't think the Bijou Cafe is worth seeking out on a trip.
(3)
Stacia B.

This is not the place to eat if you can't have any milk products. It's a french cafe which means even the hashbrowns are cooked in butter. My friend's breakfast was good she said but I had to have poached eggs & dry WW toast... boaring! Mother's Cafe had a line out the door. The service we had wasn't very good but it seemed like other tables had good service. I had to ask for my coffee to get filled each time I wanted some & it always took at least 5 min. before she came over with pot after I asked.Needless to say I won't go back.
(3)
Karin T.

Cute place and delicious breakfast. I had the farmers omelet with potatoes and fruit. Delicious. Also the Le bicyclette, sparking with elderflower-yum!
(4)
D M.

Local and organic whenever possible. Based on a single visit, my impression is this place is absolutely amazing. Best breakfast I've had in a long time, I will be going back way too often. Sunday noonish, pretty busy so sit at the counter or expect to wait a little bit.
(5)

Sorry, we don't have Q&A for this restaurant.

Sorry, No Coupons available for this restaurant.

Address : 132 SW 3rd Ave
Portland, OR, 97204
Phone (503) 222-3187
Website https://www.bijoucafepdx.com/
Click To Get Directions

Opening Hours

Mon :7:00 am - 2:00pm

Specialities

Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : No
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Breakfast
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No

Claim Restaurant

WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES

Looky Weed - Buy Marijuana Online

Looky Weed is here to help you navigate the maze of legalized marijuana. We provide you with a complete dispensary directory.

Search Your Favourite Restaurants.

Bijou Café

132 SW 3rd Ave, Portland, OR, 97204

Bijou Café Menu

French Style Omelets

For Lunch or Anytime

House Specialties

Healthy Meal suggestions for Bijou Café

French Style Omelets

For Lunch or Anytime

House Specialties

Eric F.

Paul S.

Matty W.

Diane C.

Elaine K.

Fred C.

Julie F.

Cathy W.

Lucy G.

Rasta V.

Dexter D.

Andrew G.

Heather N.

L T.

Kirk F.

Alex F.

Charlie Y.

Jimmie S.

sarah l.

Bruce W.

Steph A.

Lindsay P.

Viola Y.

David c.

Waled M.

Bertha F.

Tamsen G.

Lan H.

Mondo F.

Bruno G.

Shannon H.

Victoria C.

Mari K.

Heather S.

JW R.

Nyll L.

Seb D.

Sonia C.

C T.

Myca T.

Francisco M.

C I.

Bill N.

Casey H.

Chris O.

Stephenie B.

Kris U.

Raymond T.

Roseanne J.

Mari N.

Chris C.

Zaphod B.

Mike R.

Rick M.

Andra H.

carrie r.

Shannon B.

Catherine G.

Anna B.

Philip S.

Tran L.

JEN S.

Sean J.

Eddie C.

Ann S.

Cookin B.

Katherine A.

Anthony C.

William W.