Vegetarians beware! Check that they handed you the right basket before you bite in, or it might be a bite of something nasty. I just crossed this place off my frequent list...
(1)
Beth D.
Was just wandering by on a warm day, looking for a place to hang out, and decided to stop in for a beer. It just happened to be happy hour -- $3.50 pints! I didn't try the food and they only had three beers on tap, but the locale can't be beat! Covered outdoor seating that overlooks a pretty awesome park; a really cool fountain and a giant chess board. It was so relaxing. I loved it.
(4)
Patrick D.
It's Burger Week 2015! I've only been here a couple of times before. Each prior visit was quite forgettable. But today is different. Perhaps because of the special burger, I don't know. But service was friendly and the food was really good. The only gripe I have is, I ordered a marionberry + chocolate chunk shake. It was tasty but the straw kept clogging with seeds and chocolate pieces. You might want to keep some fat straws handy for chunky shales like this Elephant's Deli. #burgerweek ** Quick update: I get to the bottom of my shake to find huge chocolate chunks and hazelnut halves. Either they forgot to tell me to eat it with a spoon or their blender sucks. **
(4)
Katherine S.
Sweet potato tater tots with the dipping sauce... Oh my heavens. Great spot for a quick lunch or an afternoon in the park playing giant chess!
(5)
Drake S.
As much as I would love to love this place, it simply fails to stand out among the crowd of food options in the immediate downtown area. While the location, seating, and giant chess set outside make it charming, the food does not justify more than 3 stars. I ate a burger and fries here, and it was the most forgettable culinary product I have consumed in Portland to date. I'm a firm believer in judging restaurants by their basic foods, so I ordered the Park Burger, a traditional meat-sauce-veggies-bun affair. While the meat was moist and cooked well, it lacked any particular zest or flavor. I additionally found the bun to be generic and, if anything, a bit dominating--too much bread with each bite. The fries were similarly underwhelming, inoffensive but lacking excitement. This venue would benefit from embracing its adventurous side. Until then, you are better off searching elsewhere for your lunch needs.
(3)
Erin W.
Loved this place! We were downtown in the park looking for a quick drink before a movie at fox tower. We sat outside with a cookie, Dr. Brown's soda that we snuck in to the movies, and stiff Moscow mule made with real ginger beer, not ginger ale. They have an extremely large chess set that you can play from 12-6pm which I know my boyfriend will want to return to play later this summer. It is a perfect spot to stop while you take your kids to the water park a few feet away, sit outside with your computer or a book, or enjoy a quick bite to eat during your lunch hour. They have a great healthy selection for several types of diets. I am looking to return to this spot and return to try some of their fine foods.
(4)
Hilary R.
The location makes this place! Right downtown in a concrete park with lots of outdoor seating. Makes for a fantastic summer lunch. I personally liked that they had vegetarian options and draft beer. The sweet potato tots are AWESOME. The rest of our food was good, but not outstanding. And the giant chess set was great. My hubby and I played a game after lunch and had a grand time!
(4)
Kait K.
Although the selection is still here this Elephants lacks the vibe and charm of the others. Even at the airport location they have better attitudes. My latte was pretty good but my frittata was bland and the gal who served it to me looked like she maybe hadn't smiled in 4 years. All in all it just wasn't the fun charming vibe I'm used to from the other locations
(2)
Doris G.
This place is in the middle of a concrete park. It is very clean and there is a diverse menu that includes many entrees that are less than $10. Both my husband and I ordered the grownup Mac and cheese with a small order of sweet potato tots to go with the meal. The Mac and cheese was only $6.75 each and the tots $2.25. There are large chunks of bacon in a creamy cheese sauce. I always add hot sauce to Mac and cheese. This is one of the best Mac and cheese I have had in quite awhile. The sweet potato tots were crunchy and were salted with sea salt and served with s chipotle sauce, yum
(5)
Hikari K.
I've always stopped by for some coffee or a quick salad to go but I wanted to try something off the grill for lunch today. I got the Portlandia burger and it was fantastic! The quinoa patty with beets was really yummy and something I hadn't tried before. The service was quick and friendly and they were very attentive. I will definitely be back.
(5)
Linda M.
I love this place. There aren't that many casual but good places in this part of town, and I love all the seating in the square. Brought my cat, Henry with me today, as we were coming back from a day in the park. The staff was super sweet in their response to him. Nice people. Good food. Good spot.
(5)
Mary T.
This is my favorite restaurant in Portland. There is a dark elf. I swoon every time I pass through the large glass doors and they are there. When they describe the chili soup I nearly die. I come for the park burger and stay for the dancing.
(5)
Jim P.
730 pm. Of course I needed a cup of coffee. Went across the street from our hotel and had a delicious cup of joe thanks to this place. It was closing time but they still came through with a good cup. Was able to enjoy it while sitting outside on a perfect night. Staff were courteous and cool.
(5)
Daniel D.
This was my first experience at any "Elephants" location. The person I was eating with had the fish tacos which was well made and a good value for the money. I tried the barbecue pulled pork sandwich, Overall it was good, bread was quality and meat was quality but could have used a bit more of the sauce. Worth a try if you are in the neighborhood and has great open air seating for beautiful Northwest days.
(4)
Benjamin Y.
"Yum", that's all you have to know about this place. They have Sweet Potato Tots, highly recommend trying. Burgers and food are a great price with ample outdoor seating for a beautiful summer day downtown. Or cozy up by one of the large windows that surrounds half of the store during the winter.
(4)
disaster m.
GREAT parkside deli pop-up" Associated with the Elephants Deli across the street, this deli-shop IN the park was popular and busy. Very Friendly staff. GREAT Sandwiches!! (Tuscan Chicken: **** YUM). Great for tourists, business crowd, families, whomever! Lots of patio seating.
(4)
Janey E.
Not all Elephants are created equal! Two Elephants locations are less than a block from each other - this location and the one inside Fox Tower, and while the Fox location has the best mac, when push comes to shove, you'll find me here. Their options that are "hot off the grill" (which are not found inside the Fox location) are fantastic, and I must admit, they are giving my favorite PDX burger & fries (Kenny & Zuke's) a run for their money. The burger is juicy, and has lots of flavor. The bun is wonderful as well, moist, and squishy, but not too squishy that you end up with no bun at all midway through. Just right! Also, the fries are just to die for. I absolutely love how skinny they are - I'm not a steak fries girl at all. Give me lean french fries any day. Staff is often very pleasant. And orders come up quick, however, from order-up window to you, may be a different story. You are given a table number upon ordering, and since you are given the ability to sit where you please in the park, an employee may spend another few minutes trying to locate you. As for the atmosphere, inside is small, and can get a bit squished when a big line happens. But if you sit outside, you get the joys of eating outdoors, watching children play in the fountain, or observe a game of giant chess, it's all very pleasant, but we may see that change if that giant skyscraper goes up across the street, as the sounds of construction may create a rather unpleasant soundtrack to your meal, not to mention changes the lovely view of older buildings a block away. I would give this place a 5, but twice they have forgotten my mouth watering fries upon delivering my other food, and I have had to request them. Other downsides are feeling like an animal in a zoo almost. Once while eating a Portland tour group came by. We were far enough away that I couldn't hear anything, but it was a little awkward to have a group of people looking in your general direction as you ate. Overall, I'll be back again and again!
(4)
Justin H.
Won't eat here again for two reasons, expensive, and the girls who work at this location are absolutely rude. I go to this park to eat my lunch but on one specific day when it was raining one of the gals came out and ran at least 7 tables away for people trying to get out of the rain to eat lunch. She wasent even polite about it, just downright rude with zero consideration
(1)
Janna S.
Great place to come for a meal or snack The staff was super friendly Stopped in here for a snack before a movie Tried the black bean burger and it was yummy! Will definitely be back
(5)
Sydni R.
Really good place. The burger I had was juicy and not greasy (which is almost unheard of these days). I also ordered a milkshake and it was ok, it wasn't sweet, but it was thick and creamy. Will go back when visiting.
(4)
Lori K.
Best black bean burger in town. Great place for kids, as they can run around and watch the chess games outside. Good beers on top. Excellent, friendly service. We showed up as a party of 17 and they didn't even blink an eye.
(5)
Kailash N.
Elephant's Delicatessen is an upscale sandwich shop that has salads and sandwiches as well as eclectic soft drinks and fruit juices. They also serve some pastries and cookies. They have convenient locations around PDX, including at the Portland Airport, so you can stop in for you fix before flying, or bring it on board. At Elephants in the Park (Director Park, just down the street from Pioneer Square), you have two Elephant's Delicatessen venues to choose from. One has more ready made sandwiches, the other, hot sandwiches, can't go wrong with either. Great place to meet a friend at lunch.
(4)
Brian R.
I always liked Director Park, but after trying this little restaurant, I'm a fan of it too. Went in with a friend, had the Fish Sandwich with fries, and a blood orange soda (fish, citrus, thought the would go together nicely and they did). Staff was nice, place was clean. Love my burgers and fries, but this was a Damn good fish sandwich, (the sauce & coleslaw on the sandwich works!).
(4)
Carrie R.
My husband and I have been here twice to enjoy the beet burger with a side of sweet potato tater tots with a chipotle cream dipping sauce! It is amazing & life changing! We also love the fish tacos which are perfectly prepared and seasoned. Both times we sat outside at night under the heaters and enjoyed our meal with our dog alongside us. My husband loves the beer that they serve and I like how the cocktail menu changes each time I visit. This location is great!
(5)
Gorge L.
Worst mocha I've ever had. Cook looked at us like he wanted to murder us while ordering. But on a positive note their oatmeal raisin cookie was delicious.
(3)
Heidi S.
Elephants In he Park is a great place. I had the grilled fish fillet sandwich and a house salad. The fish had an amazing smoky flavor with just the right amount of Cuban sauce and coleslaw, a perfect combo. The greens were fresh and delicious. The park is fun place at lunch time for people watching. The staff was super friendly. Great place!
(4)
April G.
We ordered the sweet potato tots, the fish tacos, and the pulled pork sandwich, we got them to go. The items were packaged well and the temps were perfect when we got back to the hotel to eat. The food itself, amazing!!! I loved the sauce that was for the fish tacos as sauce to dip for the tots, it was perfect. The only reason I can't give it five stars is there was some confusion with the receipt and it really wasn't our loss. We tired to write in a tip....but that's where it got weird. The receipt they gave us only had a service charge and the final amount so no tip line on ours. I held onto it for a couple days to see when it cleared the account if our tip would be included and it wasn't.... I was bummed for them since they only charged a $1.80 service fee and didn't get their tip. But beyond that, the food, crisp, fresh, amazing.
(4)
Lee M.
The food was just ok. Not great. They did not honor the check in special so perhaps they should remove it. Duh
(2)
Philip G.
Location was perfect for my Gf and I who came as first time tourists to Portland. The food was good but not great but the presentation was excellent and the overall atmosphere of the place was what really impressed me. Will eat here again on my next visit.
(4)
John H.
This was really good. So I've been in airplanes all day today getting from Charlotte to Portland and finally made it to my hotel. Needed to find some food and searched for vegetarian nearby. This was what popped up. Nice little walk and ta-da. I got several things to try. The first was the beet/grain burger, on focaccia. I liked it among the top two veggie burgers I've had recently and appreciate that it doesn't have any common migraine triggers in it. Its structural integrity wasn't that great and it made an enormous mess in my hotel room, but it was tasty all the way around. I got a couple of sides. The sweet potato tater tots were salty and delicious with just a hint of sweetness. Didn't try the dipping sauce because I was enjoying them too much without. I also got the vegan salad, which had almost all of the things I like in a salad (broccoli, grapes, apples, cabbage, kale, ginger) and was quite fresh. They had a couple of different cookies, so I tried both. The first was a shortbread elephant dipped half way in some kind of purple icing. It was actually quite tasty and not chalky like shortbread can sometimes be. The other cookie was a large oatmeal chocolate chip one that was right on the border or crispy and chewy, which I like. Really good. I should try their other locations, as I suspect that not carrying my food in a paper bag would make it a five star (see previous reviews for my feelings about carry out).
(4)
Matt L.
Stopped by for a warm drink, & realized this isn't Violetta anymore. I like the fact that they decluttered the inside of the little establishment, & put some outdoor heaters under the covered area. The heaters are more asthetic than functional. The establishment is owned by the same owners of Elephants Deli, but with a simple menu for quick grab & go when you're on the run. Service is friendly & prompt, so I'd definitely stop by again when on the fly.
(4)
Lexie M.
I went here today to try their vegan burger. It was awful. First of all, it took FOREVER to get my food, which is really inconvenient considering I was on my lunch break. When my food finally came, the bun was greasy and soggy, and the so called vegan "burger" just looked like a bunch of shredded beats squished together. It was tasteless and fell apart. My side of shoestring French fries was good, so I ate those. I took the sandwich (of which I had only taken two bites) to the counter and explained what was wrong. They did not apologize or offer to make me something else, they just said "Oh..." and took the burger from me. I had to get back to work, so I ordered their $4 side salad to go. The girl at the register said she would give me 50% off the salad since I didn't like the burger and charged me another $2. I didn't have time to argue, so I just paid her and got out of there. But seriously? I paid $8 for what was possibly the worst vegetarian burger I have had in my entire life, and this was for just the burger, not the fries. If you aren't going to refund me, the least you can do is give me a $4 salad for free. I will not be going back.
(1)
Liza L.
Ordered the Bistro Burger. LOVED IT!! Wonderful flavors and for the duration of eating the burger, i psyched myself to thinking it was healthy due to the spinach ;). I LOVED the French fries. I like that it's cut thin so it'll fry up crispy. I know I'll be back in Portland ... And when I am back, I will likely visit this establishment again :)
(3)
Frankie V.
This is a take out place with a good selection. There is a small hot table. The pre-made sandwiches, and macaroni and cheese with bacon were good. The chop salad had a lot of lettuce with some of it being brownish. Service was friendly
(3)
Sandra D.
I only had the sweet potato tater tots and the kale coleslaw. The tater tots are good, but they need a sweet carmel sauce to balance the kosher salt. Same thing with the kale coleslaw, it was flavorful but lacking balance--sweetness. Adding plump golden raisins and lime juice would take it to the next level.
(4)
Brynne H.
I stopped in for a water. Said water turned into an ice water, a bottled water, a Mexican Coke, a whiskey and ginger ale (I think?). Don't judge, it was about 92 degrees, and I had a few hours between hotel checkout and needing to get to the airport. This was a nice little place to beat the heat. It's in a cute park with a fun water feature, and the Portland weirdo watching was in full effect. The girls working were sweet, and didn't mind me using them for the AC and cold beverages.
(3)
Ed C.
Had a nice dinner near the mall downtown. Pork BBQ was very good and enjoyed sitting outside overlooking the water fountain. Service was fast.
(4)
Jeb B.
Update The owner contacted me, apologized and told me that this was in no way the type of service that they strive for, which I do believe to be true. She also said that this was being used as a 'teachable moment'. I truly appreciate this. What more could I ask for. We do like Elephants a lot. The food is great, and every other time I've been it's been a good experience, so there you go.
(4)
A S.
Great place to stop and sit for a break, they have coffee and snack and I always get something different and have never been disappointed.
(4)
Melinda P.
This place satisfies in a pinch. Good quality food and a little drinkie for mommy after 3 hours in the sun at pioneer courthouse square. Cool and comfortable. And the service from the staff lives up to Elephants standard. Will be back.
(5)
Allie R.
It's hard to dislike anything when you're eating it while sitting in the sunshine, wearing a tank top, in the first week of May. But that said, I was very impressed with Elephants in the Park. I've been to the Delicatessen locations (across the street, in the Alphabet District, and in Tigard) several times apiece, and it's always pleasant enough, but nothing particularly noteworthy. This little place, however, is fantastic, and I look forward to coming back soon. Both my sandwich and my friend's salad were very tasty, and the staff were exceptionally friendly.
(4)
Lin N.
I was oblivious to the fact that Violetta's is gone... Even when I entered this new elephants in the park, I still didn't realize it! They have a varied menu, options for vegetarians, too. Baked Mac n cheese with onions and bacon, $6, quite good. Root beer and cream soda, too.
(3)
M R.
First off, great location!! Situated in the city "park" it was great to be able to order some food and enjoy the sunshine outside. However, it was $7 for a burger with bacon, lettuce, tomato, and onion - no bun, fries, cheese, drink...literally just the burger. A little steep for a little food...BUT, it was delicious! Burger and bacon cooked perfectly. Very limited menu, by the way. And my tomato came complete with a sticker on it and all! It's a very Portland-y "serve yourself" type place, but it is much less crowded than the Elephants "restaurant" in Fox Tower.
(3)
Marina O.
Wow, this place is magic. Everything I try is delicious. The store is great and the service is excelent. You have to try the pecan bars!!!
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Garage, Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Hipster Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : No Waiter Service : No Drive-Thru : No Caters : No
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Noel Y.
Vegetarians beware! Check that they handed you the right basket before you bite in, or it might be a bite of something nasty. I just crossed this place off my frequent list...
(1)Beth D.
Was just wandering by on a warm day, looking for a place to hang out, and decided to stop in for a beer. It just happened to be happy hour -- $3.50 pints! I didn't try the food and they only had three beers on tap, but the locale can't be beat! Covered outdoor seating that overlooks a pretty awesome park; a really cool fountain and a giant chess board. It was so relaxing. I loved it.
(4)Patrick D.
It's Burger Week 2015! I've only been here a couple of times before. Each prior visit was quite forgettable. But today is different. Perhaps because of the special burger, I don't know. But service was friendly and the food was really good. The only gripe I have is, I ordered a marionberry + chocolate chunk shake. It was tasty but the straw kept clogging with seeds and chocolate pieces. You might want to keep some fat straws handy for chunky shales like this Elephant's Deli. #burgerweek ** Quick update: I get to the bottom of my shake to find huge chocolate chunks and hazelnut halves. Either they forgot to tell me to eat it with a spoon or their blender sucks. **
(4)Katherine S.
Sweet potato tater tots with the dipping sauce... Oh my heavens. Great spot for a quick lunch or an afternoon in the park playing giant chess!
(5)Drake S.
As much as I would love to love this place, it simply fails to stand out among the crowd of food options in the immediate downtown area. While the location, seating, and giant chess set outside make it charming, the food does not justify more than 3 stars. I ate a burger and fries here, and it was the most forgettable culinary product I have consumed in Portland to date. I'm a firm believer in judging restaurants by their basic foods, so I ordered the Park Burger, a traditional meat-sauce-veggies-bun affair. While the meat was moist and cooked well, it lacked any particular zest or flavor. I additionally found the bun to be generic and, if anything, a bit dominating--too much bread with each bite. The fries were similarly underwhelming, inoffensive but lacking excitement. This venue would benefit from embracing its adventurous side. Until then, you are better off searching elsewhere for your lunch needs.
(3)Erin W.
Loved this place! We were downtown in the park looking for a quick drink before a movie at fox tower. We sat outside with a cookie, Dr. Brown's soda that we snuck in to the movies, and stiff Moscow mule made with real ginger beer, not ginger ale. They have an extremely large chess set that you can play from 12-6pm which I know my boyfriend will want to return to play later this summer. It is a perfect spot to stop while you take your kids to the water park a few feet away, sit outside with your computer or a book, or enjoy a quick bite to eat during your lunch hour. They have a great healthy selection for several types of diets. I am looking to return to this spot and return to try some of their fine foods.
(4)Hilary R.
The location makes this place! Right downtown in a concrete park with lots of outdoor seating. Makes for a fantastic summer lunch. I personally liked that they had vegetarian options and draft beer. The sweet potato tots are AWESOME. The rest of our food was good, but not outstanding. And the giant chess set was great. My hubby and I played a game after lunch and had a grand time!
(4)Kait K.
Although the selection is still here this Elephants lacks the vibe and charm of the others. Even at the airport location they have better attitudes. My latte was pretty good but my frittata was bland and the gal who served it to me looked like she maybe hadn't smiled in 4 years. All in all it just wasn't the fun charming vibe I'm used to from the other locations
(2)Doris G.
This place is in the middle of a concrete park. It is very clean and there is a diverse menu that includes many entrees that are less than $10. Both my husband and I ordered the grownup Mac and cheese with a small order of sweet potato tots to go with the meal. The Mac and cheese was only $6.75 each and the tots $2.25. There are large chunks of bacon in a creamy cheese sauce. I always add hot sauce to Mac and cheese. This is one of the best Mac and cheese I have had in quite awhile. The sweet potato tots were crunchy and were salted with sea salt and served with s chipotle sauce, yum
(5)Hikari K.
I've always stopped by for some coffee or a quick salad to go but I wanted to try something off the grill for lunch today. I got the Portlandia burger and it was fantastic! The quinoa patty with beets was really yummy and something I hadn't tried before. The service was quick and friendly and they were very attentive. I will definitely be back.
(5)Linda M.
I love this place. There aren't that many casual but good places in this part of town, and I love all the seating in the square. Brought my cat, Henry with me today, as we were coming back from a day in the park. The staff was super sweet in their response to him. Nice people. Good food. Good spot.
(5)Mary T.
This is my favorite restaurant in Portland. There is a dark elf. I swoon every time I pass through the large glass doors and they are there. When they describe the chili soup I nearly die. I come for the park burger and stay for the dancing.
(5)Jim P.
730 pm. Of course I needed a cup of coffee. Went across the street from our hotel and had a delicious cup of joe thanks to this place. It was closing time but they still came through with a good cup. Was able to enjoy it while sitting outside on a perfect night. Staff were courteous and cool.
(5)Daniel D.
This was my first experience at any "Elephants" location. The person I was eating with had the fish tacos which was well made and a good value for the money. I tried the barbecue pulled pork sandwich, Overall it was good, bread was quality and meat was quality but could have used a bit more of the sauce. Worth a try if you are in the neighborhood and has great open air seating for beautiful Northwest days.
(4)Benjamin Y.
"Yum", that's all you have to know about this place. They have Sweet Potato Tots, highly recommend trying. Burgers and food are a great price with ample outdoor seating for a beautiful summer day downtown. Or cozy up by one of the large windows that surrounds half of the store during the winter.
(4)disaster m.
GREAT parkside deli pop-up" Associated with the Elephants Deli across the street, this deli-shop IN the park was popular and busy. Very Friendly staff. GREAT Sandwiches!! (Tuscan Chicken: **** YUM). Great for tourists, business crowd, families, whomever! Lots of patio seating.
(4)Janey E.
Not all Elephants are created equal! Two Elephants locations are less than a block from each other - this location and the one inside Fox Tower, and while the Fox location has the best mac, when push comes to shove, you'll find me here. Their options that are "hot off the grill" (which are not found inside the Fox location) are fantastic, and I must admit, they are giving my favorite PDX burger & fries (Kenny & Zuke's) a run for their money. The burger is juicy, and has lots of flavor. The bun is wonderful as well, moist, and squishy, but not too squishy that you end up with no bun at all midway through. Just right! Also, the fries are just to die for. I absolutely love how skinny they are - I'm not a steak fries girl at all. Give me lean french fries any day. Staff is often very pleasant. And orders come up quick, however, from order-up window to you, may be a different story. You are given a table number upon ordering, and since you are given the ability to sit where you please in the park, an employee may spend another few minutes trying to locate you. As for the atmosphere, inside is small, and can get a bit squished when a big line happens. But if you sit outside, you get the joys of eating outdoors, watching children play in the fountain, or observe a game of giant chess, it's all very pleasant, but we may see that change if that giant skyscraper goes up across the street, as the sounds of construction may create a rather unpleasant soundtrack to your meal, not to mention changes the lovely view of older buildings a block away. I would give this place a 5, but twice they have forgotten my mouth watering fries upon delivering my other food, and I have had to request them. Other downsides are feeling like an animal in a zoo almost. Once while eating a Portland tour group came by. We were far enough away that I couldn't hear anything, but it was a little awkward to have a group of people looking in your general direction as you ate. Overall, I'll be back again and again!
(4)Justin H.
Won't eat here again for two reasons, expensive, and the girls who work at this location are absolutely rude. I go to this park to eat my lunch but on one specific day when it was raining one of the gals came out and ran at least 7 tables away for people trying to get out of the rain to eat lunch. She wasent even polite about it, just downright rude with zero consideration
(1)Janna S.
Great place to come for a meal or snack The staff was super friendly Stopped in here for a snack before a movie Tried the black bean burger and it was yummy! Will definitely be back
(5)Sydni R.
Really good place. The burger I had was juicy and not greasy (which is almost unheard of these days). I also ordered a milkshake and it was ok, it wasn't sweet, but it was thick and creamy. Will go back when visiting.
(4)Lori K.
Best black bean burger in town. Great place for kids, as they can run around and watch the chess games outside. Good beers on top. Excellent, friendly service. We showed up as a party of 17 and they didn't even blink an eye.
(5)Kailash N.
Elephant's Delicatessen is an upscale sandwich shop that has salads and sandwiches as well as eclectic soft drinks and fruit juices. They also serve some pastries and cookies. They have convenient locations around PDX, including at the Portland Airport, so you can stop in for you fix before flying, or bring it on board. At Elephants in the Park (Director Park, just down the street from Pioneer Square), you have two Elephant's Delicatessen venues to choose from. One has more ready made sandwiches, the other, hot sandwiches, can't go wrong with either. Great place to meet a friend at lunch.
(4)Brian R.
I always liked Director Park, but after trying this little restaurant, I'm a fan of it too. Went in with a friend, had the Fish Sandwich with fries, and a blood orange soda (fish, citrus, thought the would go together nicely and they did). Staff was nice, place was clean. Love my burgers and fries, but this was a Damn good fish sandwich, (the sauce & coleslaw on the sandwich works!).
(4)Carrie R.
My husband and I have been here twice to enjoy the beet burger with a side of sweet potato tater tots with a chipotle cream dipping sauce! It is amazing & life changing! We also love the fish tacos which are perfectly prepared and seasoned. Both times we sat outside at night under the heaters and enjoyed our meal with our dog alongside us. My husband loves the beer that they serve and I like how the cocktail menu changes each time I visit. This location is great!
(5)Gorge L.
Worst mocha I've ever had. Cook looked at us like he wanted to murder us while ordering. But on a positive note their oatmeal raisin cookie was delicious.
(3)Heidi S.
Elephants In he Park is a great place. I had the grilled fish fillet sandwich and a house salad. The fish had an amazing smoky flavor with just the right amount of Cuban sauce and coleslaw, a perfect combo. The greens were fresh and delicious. The park is fun place at lunch time for people watching. The staff was super friendly. Great place!
(4)April G.
We ordered the sweet potato tots, the fish tacos, and the pulled pork sandwich, we got them to go. The items were packaged well and the temps were perfect when we got back to the hotel to eat. The food itself, amazing!!! I loved the sauce that was for the fish tacos as sauce to dip for the tots, it was perfect. The only reason I can't give it five stars is there was some confusion with the receipt and it really wasn't our loss. We tired to write in a tip....but that's where it got weird. The receipt they gave us only had a service charge and the final amount so no tip line on ours. I held onto it for a couple days to see when it cleared the account if our tip would be included and it wasn't.... I was bummed for them since they only charged a $1.80 service fee and didn't get their tip. But beyond that, the food, crisp, fresh, amazing.
(4)Lee M.
The food was just ok. Not great. They did not honor the check in special so perhaps they should remove it. Duh
(2)Philip G.
Location was perfect for my Gf and I who came as first time tourists to Portland. The food was good but not great but the presentation was excellent and the overall atmosphere of the place was what really impressed me. Will eat here again on my next visit.
(4)John H.
This was really good. So I've been in airplanes all day today getting from Charlotte to Portland and finally made it to my hotel. Needed to find some food and searched for vegetarian nearby. This was what popped up. Nice little walk and ta-da. I got several things to try. The first was the beet/grain burger, on focaccia. I liked it among the top two veggie burgers I've had recently and appreciate that it doesn't have any common migraine triggers in it. Its structural integrity wasn't that great and it made an enormous mess in my hotel room, but it was tasty all the way around. I got a couple of sides. The sweet potato tater tots were salty and delicious with just a hint of sweetness. Didn't try the dipping sauce because I was enjoying them too much without. I also got the vegan salad, which had almost all of the things I like in a salad (broccoli, grapes, apples, cabbage, kale, ginger) and was quite fresh. They had a couple of different cookies, so I tried both. The first was a shortbread elephant dipped half way in some kind of purple icing. It was actually quite tasty and not chalky like shortbread can sometimes be. The other cookie was a large oatmeal chocolate chip one that was right on the border or crispy and chewy, which I like. Really good. I should try their other locations, as I suspect that not carrying my food in a paper bag would make it a five star (see previous reviews for my feelings about carry out).
(4)Matt L.
Stopped by for a warm drink, & realized this isn't Violetta anymore. I like the fact that they decluttered the inside of the little establishment, & put some outdoor heaters under the covered area. The heaters are more asthetic than functional. The establishment is owned by the same owners of Elephants Deli, but with a simple menu for quick grab & go when you're on the run. Service is friendly & prompt, so I'd definitely stop by again when on the fly.
(4)Lexie M.
I went here today to try their vegan burger. It was awful. First of all, it took FOREVER to get my food, which is really inconvenient considering I was on my lunch break. When my food finally came, the bun was greasy and soggy, and the so called vegan "burger" just looked like a bunch of shredded beats squished together. It was tasteless and fell apart. My side of shoestring French fries was good, so I ate those. I took the sandwich (of which I had only taken two bites) to the counter and explained what was wrong. They did not apologize or offer to make me something else, they just said "Oh..." and took the burger from me. I had to get back to work, so I ordered their $4 side salad to go. The girl at the register said she would give me 50% off the salad since I didn't like the burger and charged me another $2. I didn't have time to argue, so I just paid her and got out of there. But seriously? I paid $8 for what was possibly the worst vegetarian burger I have had in my entire life, and this was for just the burger, not the fries. If you aren't going to refund me, the least you can do is give me a $4 salad for free. I will not be going back.
(1)Liza L.
Ordered the Bistro Burger. LOVED IT!! Wonderful flavors and for the duration of eating the burger, i psyched myself to thinking it was healthy due to the spinach ;). I LOVED the French fries. I like that it's cut thin so it'll fry up crispy. I know I'll be back in Portland ... And when I am back, I will likely visit this establishment again :)
(3)Frankie V.
This is a take out place with a good selection. There is a small hot table. The pre-made sandwiches, and macaroni and cheese with bacon were good. The chop salad had a lot of lettuce with some of it being brownish. Service was friendly
(3)Sandra D.
I only had the sweet potato tater tots and the kale coleslaw. The tater tots are good, but they need a sweet carmel sauce to balance the kosher salt. Same thing with the kale coleslaw, it was flavorful but lacking balance--sweetness. Adding plump golden raisins and lime juice would take it to the next level.
(4)Brynne H.
I stopped in for a water. Said water turned into an ice water, a bottled water, a Mexican Coke, a whiskey and ginger ale (I think?). Don't judge, it was about 92 degrees, and I had a few hours between hotel checkout and needing to get to the airport. This was a nice little place to beat the heat. It's in a cute park with a fun water feature, and the Portland weirdo watching was in full effect. The girls working were sweet, and didn't mind me using them for the AC and cold beverages.
(3)Ed C.
Had a nice dinner near the mall downtown. Pork BBQ was very good and enjoyed sitting outside overlooking the water fountain. Service was fast.
(4)Jeb B.
Update The owner contacted me, apologized and told me that this was in no way the type of service that they strive for, which I do believe to be true. She also said that this was being used as a 'teachable moment'. I truly appreciate this. What more could I ask for. We do like Elephants a lot. The food is great, and every other time I've been it's been a good experience, so there you go.
(4)A S.
Great place to stop and sit for a break, they have coffee and snack and I always get something different and have never been disappointed.
(4)Melinda P.
This place satisfies in a pinch. Good quality food and a little drinkie for mommy after 3 hours in the sun at pioneer courthouse square. Cool and comfortable. And the service from the staff lives up to Elephants standard. Will be back.
(5)Allie R.
It's hard to dislike anything when you're eating it while sitting in the sunshine, wearing a tank top, in the first week of May. But that said, I was very impressed with Elephants in the Park. I've been to the Delicatessen locations (across the street, in the Alphabet District, and in Tigard) several times apiece, and it's always pleasant enough, but nothing particularly noteworthy. This little place, however, is fantastic, and I look forward to coming back soon. Both my sandwich and my friend's salad were very tasty, and the staff were exceptionally friendly.
(4)Lin N.
I was oblivious to the fact that Violetta's is gone... Even when I entered this new elephants in the park, I still didn't realize it! They have a varied menu, options for vegetarians, too. Baked Mac n cheese with onions and bacon, $6, quite good. Root beer and cream soda, too.
(3)M R.
First off, great location!! Situated in the city "park" it was great to be able to order some food and enjoy the sunshine outside. However, it was $7 for a burger with bacon, lettuce, tomato, and onion - no bun, fries, cheese, drink...literally just the burger. A little steep for a little food...BUT, it was delicious! Burger and bacon cooked perfectly. Very limited menu, by the way. And my tomato came complete with a sticker on it and all! It's a very Portland-y "serve yourself" type place, but it is much less crowded than the Elephants "restaurant" in Fox Tower.
(3)Marina O.
Wow, this place is magic. Everything I try is delicious. The store is great and the service is excelent. You have to try the pecan bars!!!
(5)