4. Restaurants

Original Hotcake House

1002 Se Powell Blvd, Portland, OR, 97202
  • (503) 236-7402
  • Store is closed

Original Hotcake House Menu

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  • George R.

    Big portions as this place is known for and easy set up for ordering and seating. Food is tasty as I love the hot cakes. Laid back with the old diner feel as the decor and furniture is worn down but I like it. It is what I expect and the food makes me happy! Many steaks to choose from which is what my wife likes!

    (5)

  • Christine N.

    Open 24 hours. Hotcakes: okay (if you get it with strawberry, they give you a lot of sauce and it has a jam-like consistency) Onion rings: greasy Chili cheese fries: chili was okay but fries were greasy and soggy

    (2)

  • Bobbi J.

    Hot off the grill, greasy breakfast! Is was awesome! I was happily surprised with the food! Yummy stuff. Good ol breakfast that tasted great. The meat omelette was amazing... Packed full of meat. The hotcakes are nice and sweet! I really have no complaints.... Little bit of a dive... But that is the nostalgia of the place. Can't wait to come back!!! This placed is packed and lots of kids here on a Friday night... they know where to get big portions for a great price! Nice job cooks!

    (5)

  • Barry S.

    Great Food Large Portions Great Service A Winner The Hotcakes always awesome Open 24 Hours a day You can always count on them for a bite.

    (4)

  • Heck N.

    The food is good and the service USED to be good but as of late they take way too long to get their food out (especially to-go orders). After waiting in line for 10 minutes due to the cashier walking away from a line full of customers, we asked if next time we are able to skip the line and pick up our to-go order. His rude response was we need to get there on time even though he had just gotten done bagging up our order as we walked in.

    (1)

  • Matthew F.

    Overall, I thought the food was good, but I have a couple of things I wish to mention. One is regarding the "No Holding Tables" rule; there were many who chose not to follow that rule, as if it did not apply to them. The rule is there for a reason, people; you are not special nor entitled! The other thing I would like to mention is regarding the cleanliness; it appeared that the grill areas had not been attended to for quite some time. The restaurant, as a whole, did not appear that clean, and it may be a good idea for the Health Inspectors to go out and take a look at it. In summary, the food was good (5), the cleanliness and service was not good (1), so my rating is the average... 3 's.

    (3)

  • Tiffany L.

    There's not many places in Portland quite like Original Hotcake House. Sure, it's not the cleanest. And, yeah, you're not gonna see rave reviews for the food in Food and Wine anytime soon. BUT - it's open 24 hours, and it serves up solid breakfast favorites for reasonable prices. And all the reviews about the "questionable" staff is cray! The staff is SO nice. And old school. I wouldn't mess with them. Come in around 2AM, order some pancakes (pour on that imitation maple syrup ya'll!), some eggs, crispy hashbrowns and a side of meat. And you, my friend, are set.

    (4)

  • Rachel H.

    The food was delicious. The odd thing was that you had to order before snagging a table, of which there are few. Fortunately a table was open after waiting in line. The biscuits and gravy was phenomenal. We always got the chili cheese omelet. Holy cow. Sounds weird, tastes amazing.

    (4)

  • Curt B.

    This is a small, greasy, no frills breakfast place and as long as you keep that in mind you will not be disappointed. The staff is part of the "not fucking around crew"...they take your order and if you're nice they're nice to you. The food is cooked on the grill right behind the counter where you order. You get a number, find a table, fill your own coffee cup (choice of half and half, skim milk or vanilla creamer) and wait for them to bring your order. The portion sizes are generous (at least for breakfast) and they have some pretty decent specials (2 eggs, hash browns and toast--very large portions) for $6.95. At just over $2 the coffee was a tad expensive given it was probably Yuban, and its self service, but now I'm starting to sound like my grandpa. Another cool thing is the mix of people you get. All ages, colors and socio economic status. It's a refreshing break from the usual breakfast hot spots in town.

    (3)

  • Gabe M.

    I have been eating at hot cake house frequently since moving back to Portland. The food is delicious greasy traditional diner food. (that's why we all love it, right?) Unfortunately you can't rest on the only thing going for you. Besides the restaurant being packed at every corner, the staff are sloppy with ordering, and rude when you ask where your hour old order is and your table has already completed their meal. It's really sad when such a landmark has terrible staffing and procedure.

    (2)

  • Sarah L.

    My family really enjoyed this diner. They were super nice and friendly! My children were amazed at the size of the hot cakes and neither were able to finish it! My meal was cooked perfectly and was delicious! Super bonus that the three of us ate for under $20. True diner prices :) We will definitely go back when we are wanting breakfast for dinner.

    (4)

  • Denise F.

    This place is one open 24hrs & the food is soooo good! They have burgers, veggie burgers, omelets, fries, fish & chips, French dip sandwiches & a bunch of other good stuff!! The prices are very reasonable & the food is made to order, the wait for your food to come out can be a little while because they're not back there microwaving your shit, there cooking everything fresh on the grill!! Everything we ordered came out amazing.. Definitely gotta stop in here again!!

    (5)

  • Dolores R.

    The food is always good and a great eat. Fairly priced but they are stingy with the drinks.

    (4)

  • Jay J.

    It's definitely a quaint, local landmark and popular with the locals. Parking is a little sparse as is the seating. They had a broad menu with plenty of options. The portions are good sized and the food is hearty. I tried the meat lovers omelet. It had nice big chunks of ham, sausage, bacon, etc and plenty of cheese. Very tasty! Pancakes were good sized as well.

    (3)

  • Leilani C.

    As a customer who may or may not be slightly inebriated at 3 am after an epic 80's dance cruise, I give this 4 stars. As a mostly sober patron who wants over - medium eggs, I give it two. If you want your eggs anything but acrambled, you should know to like them over easy. Want them over hard? No. They will bring over easy and you will like them...damn it. Over medium? Away with you! Over easy it is. Period. Don't fight it. Just eat it. The bacon is crispy. The frech toast? To die for. You can't hold seats and it might get so busy that you'll stand to wait for a table for a while after your order. Line goes out the door almost anytime after midnight. But chances are if it's after midnight, you're either absolutely starving or so intoxicated you don't even care

    (4)

  • A E.

    This place is booty. The only reasons it gets 2 stars instead of 1 star is because I feel sorry for the employees who have to put up with drunken assholes all night and because it's open 24 hours and ... But at the same time, I feel like they're taking advantage of those things and I feel they think they can get away with serving piles of hot feces to people just because most of their patrons are drunk and can't tell the difference and because there's not really many other options to go to at 3:00 in the morning. ... the food is gross... the restaurant is dirty... the annoying drunk customers are... well, annoying.... the jukebox doesn't work.

    (2)

  • Mark B.

    Good for 3am inebriated[ly] fueled poor decisions.

    (3)

  • Reece B.

    If you are a fan of breakfast food you will not be disappointed. They have the best pancakes (or hot cakes) in the entire city of Portland and their hash browns are unbeatable. My favorite omelet if all time on their menu. I could write an entire essay about the perfection of this restaurant but all I really need to say is GO HERE!

    (5)

  • Yesenia G.

    You can always tell a place has good food by the long line! Fortunately we got there at the right moment before it got busy. Food was so yummy and I got it quick. The sausage and hash browns were delicious. My toast was kind of burnt so I didn't eat it. Overall not bad.

    (4)

  • Ian F.

    This place, is fucking filthy... Both in the dining room, and what's visible of the kitchen from the front of the house. This is pretty noticeable, as there's still an outdated cafeteria 'slide your tray along the counter' thing going on here. The passive/aggressive old hippie behind the register is unpleasant. Seriously, what a grumpy bastard. People are coming in there to spend money. Would it kill you to smile and be nice to the customer? On top of that, he patrols the dining room like a rent-a-cop and barks at customers who don't immediately follow the antiquated 'order before you sit down' policy. I witnessed this happen to two different tables on my visit. We're talking a soup nazi experience here. The prices seem too expensive. Don't get me wrong, the portions are huge... But they're way too big. Too big to finish, and who takes home a doggie bag of breakfast? I'd much rather pay less for a human-sized portion. There doesn't seem to be any consistency or quality control. My wife and I both had hash browns with our meal that were served at the same time. Mine were practically burnt, and hers were underdone. This joint is old, and not in a cool, kitschy or nostalgic way. It's just gross. Save your time and money. Avoid.

    (1)

  • Daniel J.

    I went here tonight for my first time for some late night grub. I was not disappointed, I love this place. The food that my fiance and I ordered was delicious. First my waffle was a little overcooked (still tasted great) but the cook (Mel) insisted on making me another one. To all those who are complaining about this restaurant smelling greasy or being "trashy": What do you expect? Its a diner, you come to eat delicious greasy food, not to watch your waistline.

    (5)

  • Melissa L.

    24 hour burgers and breakfast? Interest Piqued. This is the kind of place you go in, order at the counter, and then they give you a number and bring you your food, so service was just fine in that regard. I had the ultimate hasbrowns w/cheese - it satisfied my post-concert need for stamina, but I did try some other folks' food. The biscuits and gracy were nothing special, but huge and still enough to satisfy a craving for biscuits and grave. The hotcakes are huge, and also delicious. I've never been much of a pancake person but I would definitely come back for one of those bad boys (no way I could have more than one!) Don't go in with expectations of incredible or earth shattering food - but cheap, tasty dishes that could easily be replicated elsewhere, and I think you'll be satisfied.

    (4)

  • Gary P.

    What can I say this place is a little hole in the wall with great food wow what a very very good breakfast. Ha chicken fried steak and eggs. It's actually cooked on the grill not deep fried. The pancakes were amazing. If u have a chance go here.

    (5)

  • Christy G.

    I have gone to the Hotcake House on and off for 15 years. The food has always been pretty standard. Not bad, but not fantastic. My kids liked it so I did not mind patronizing this restaurant occasionally. Today (Sunday at about 11:30 AM) my son asked for waffles, I decided to take the trek all the way across town to the Hotcake house. I knew it would be crowded. I walked in with my son and yes, it was packed. I saw an available booth and we sat down. Before I could even ask my son to look at the menu so I could order, the woman at the cash register left her position and walked through the busy restaurant to confront me...she informed me we were not allowed to be seated until we ordered. When I looked up to acknowledge her I noticed the entire line of people, at least 30 and many others that were seated around me, were staring. It was humiliating! When I said I did not realize we couldn't be seated she informed me loudly that there is a sign posted as you walk in...but she also stated that people were leaning on it so that's why I did not see it. After she walked away to go back to the register to take the next order I promptly picked what was left of my dignity off the floor and walked out. Utterly the worst customer service ever. I will never ever return to this place again...and I will tell every single person I can about the humiliation I endured because some cashier felt it necessary to chastise me in front of a room full of people. Thanks Hotcake House, I wont be returning. I can make waffles at home.

    (1)

  • Jay P.

    24 Hour Hotcake House! Breakfast all day and if you're not in the mood for breakfast lets do a burger! Or maybe even a steak!? But be warned it's pretty greasy; it's like a heart attack waiting to happen. You'll also smell pretty bad if you stay too long :( Finally after multiple visits I'm writing a review about this place. If you're a visitor to Portland I'd say it's one of the places to try out at least for a late night snack or meal. Service is always hit or miss though; just because of the lines that happen randomly and you'll have to wait forever for food because it's one cook for a million tickets that just randomly popped up for them. At least their portions are decently sized. I come here usually for their bacon cheeseburger with a side of hashbrowns and I'll always be so full that I don't want to move around anymore. They also have great specials listed by the register so don't forget to look at those while you're breaking your neck looking up at the menu for so long cause you don't know what you want still after being in line for 10 minutes. It can get pretty loud also so if you don't like all the noise there are seats in the back which make it significantly quieter overall the experience is a good one. It can get rowdy also later at night with more people with late night munchies so be aware on midterms and finals!

    (4)

  • Matt V.

    I think coming to the hotcake house for 10 years now. I cannot think of one single time when I was let down. They treat you like you are a friendly neighbor in a small town. Their food is absolutely amazing, the portion sizes are incredible and the service is always courteous and expedient. I also really love the fourth meal atmosphere in this establishment. They have a jukebox going and there's always a lively group of fun people. All I can say is that it's an absolute tragedy that this restaurant does not have at least 4 stars because it most certainly deserves them.

    (5)

  • Amanda N.

    Pretty good here for a pretty large portion of food! I come here late after drinking or the next morning for a breakfeast fix! Prices are reasonable, it's a small cozy joint that will definitely satisfy your cravings! Come here if you're always up late and don't wanna cook :)

    (4)

  • Justin S.

    We went back two nights in a row! Pretty good food and decent portions for a good price. Service was a little slow the first night, but they were a little busy. Service was fine the second night. The strangest thing was the pricing. We ordered the exact same food two nights in a row, but the first night we were charged $18 and the second night, $13. We looked at the receipts and it seems as though the two cashiers rung up the same items in two different ways resulting in substantially different prices (the second night, one order was rung up as breakfast special number 2 or something similar). Oh, well. We were satisfied with the $18 charge the first night and $13 on the second was just a happy surprise. The bacon was fantasic!

    (4)

  • Miz C.

    solid greasy diner. ive had the pancakes, french toast, hashbrowns, sandwiches, burgers, omelettes, basically ive eaten a TON of stuff off their menu and never been upset about it. once in a blue moon after a particularly shitty night bartending, ill rally some of my friends for a late nite visit. in fact, i dont think ive ever eaten here in the daytime.

    (4)

  • Nyki A.

    TERRIBLE! I have tried to give this place a try but I've been disappointed every time. The portions are tiny. The food is greasy. The service is slow. And everything is dry and microwaved... My chicken strips tasted like TV dinners and I only got 2 for $8. You get 2 pieces of French toast, 2 pieces of sausage, and an empty stomach. This place is only good because it's open 24/7. But you'd have to be drunk to be satisfied. I wish I could support this Portland family business but there is nothing charming about it.

    (1)

  • Alyssa S.

    I really liked how nice everyone was and how cute the restaurant is. Although, their crepes were cold when I got them so that kind of turned me off, but my fiance loved his hamburger :)

    (4)

  • Paula W.

    I've been craving pancakes for a week and since I'm couch surfing it's a bit inconvenient to whip up a batch for breakfast. The OHH is not too far from the office so I thought I would stop in and get my fix. Wouldn't you know?!? I ended up getting the french toast special. 4 pieces (2 slices) of french toast, one egg, and choice of meat (bacon, sausage, corned beef hash). I went with the hash. At $8.50 I thought the price was just okay. In fact, everything about the experience was slightly underwhelming...except the server. He was the only bright spot in the morning. The coffee was hot but weak, and self-serve. The french toast was good, but it's kind of hard to screw up french toast. And the corned beef hash? Straight out of the can. And though it was warmed up, it wasn't browned in any way. I think it will be a long while before I make it back here.

    (2)

  • Hey U.

    Let's get serious for a minute...this is the kind of place at 1:45am your 1 soberish bud drops everyone off and you drunk ass proclaims these are the best f*cking pancakes you have ever eaten and you want to make love to that hockey puck sausage. And you would be right. At 2am, drunk. Sober, it's fine. Old school diner. Little dirty. Some of the staff look like ex-cons but if they can flip a hot cake that works. I will say when my buddy threatened to slap another pal with a hot cake but instead received a hot cake slap and proceeded to storm out and try to walk the non pedestrian side of Ross Island Bridge 4 miles home just lets me know the kind of shit goes down on any given night at the hot cake house. And when no one was looking their sausage patty made sweet love to my mouth...mmmm processed meats...

    (4)

  • Liz H.

    AMAZING FOOD! I have a hard time eating out because I get upset stomach a lot. And never once have I had a problem here with their food. Staff is on top of things and great happy environment. Wonderful they are 24 hours too!

    (5)

  • Ophelia Y.

    This place is exactly what you'd expect--a late night diner with greasy, drunk-friendly food. It's open 24 hours, which makes for some interesting late nights. They have a pretty large menu, offering breakfast items, lunch items, and random sides. I went on a Sunday night, and the Jr. Special was a pretty good buy: a pancake, an egg, and a side of ham, bacon, or two sausage links. I had the sweet potato fries (note: they are waffled). I received my fries, and they were miserably overcooked. I ate a couple of them, but thank goodness wasn't all that hungry. We sat and chatted for a few hours, when one of the restaurant employees came by to pick up our plate, saw how pathetic my fries looked, and offered to make a new batch without me having to say anything. I appreciate good service, and had nothing but the worst expectations for this place. Kudos to the guy who took good care of me and brought me new fries.

    (3)

  • Thao H.

    Usually would be my spot for late night food runs however tonight there was too much disappointment. First off the service was bad. The person who rung us up has no emotions. No smile, no greetings, nothing. Plus on top of that we stood at the register for the longest time until he came out. The cook had to call for him like 3 times. I also ordered hot cakes with links and scrambled eggs. However when my food came out the first thing I noticed was that my eggs weren't scrambled. It was hard scrambled eggs if anything it was just a giant piece of egg. By scrambled I meant fluffy soft scrambled eggs. Ok, one mistake. I forgive them. Went ahead and ate my links and pancakes. When I took the first bite of my pancake it felt...different you would say. Felt like raw pancake batter. So I went ahead and cut another piece out of my pancake and like poked it with my finger. And behold, the inside of the pancake was raw. It was super sticky to the touch and I barely touched it. I think I know what undercooked or raw pancakes taste and feel like, trust me I have made enough. So that was the end. Finished my links and left everything untouched. I was quite disappointed. I know it was just a one time thing but still.

    (1)

  • Kimberly D.

    Fast, wholesome, and very good price. Not the nicest or cleanest looking establishment but delicious nonetheless and they always seem to have the place full. Great hangover food! The pancakes are amazing and the hash browns are amazing

    (4)

  • Scott H.

    This joint was recommended by our concierge and it did not disappoint. These are the best pancakes I've ever had, didn't even put syrup on them! Our group had three different kinds of pancakes, eggs, hash towns and corned beef hash and everything was excellent. It may not be the most polished place and the jukebox totally sucks, but the food is killer.

    (4)

  • Prairie D.

    i am going to keep this short and sweet, so i ordered my meal, sat down and noticed there was a nice piece of fur ( yes hair) in my eggs, i was a little grossed out but hey things happen no big deal. So i took it back and told them, they took my plate, looks at it, took a fork removed the hair and gave the plate back to me! WTF i just looked surprised and walked out...

    (1)

  • Tiffchris B.

    Wow this place had such wonderful food and lots of it. The prices are fair for what you get the only small thing that bugged us was the costumer service was a little off the lady behind the counter was a little rude

    (4)

  • Elizabeth M.

    It gets four stars not because the food is all that good because well it is really just ok. No they earned these stars for fueling a crowd of twenty somethings after an all night binger at there favorite bar. I have been known to do this as well. I find that at two or three or four in the morning it is the place to hang out in and watch amateur hour at its best as.

    (4)

  • J R.

    Somehow I managed to not eat here despite living a stone's throw away for like 2 years. I didn't let another 2 pass. This restaurant, while understated, has changed how I feel about several dishes and ingredients. Used to be the type who turned my nose up at savory breakfast things like biscuits and gravy but had a bite of my husband's once and have considered ordering it myself. Lots of skill and no BS, you will get fed and so will everyone else in line. Don't expect to have some kind of poetic convo when ordering, it's streamlined for efficiency. Totally works for a lot of functions, including the odd afterparty and just straight breakfast. They have a Facebook page and what they post is kinda cute. Looks like they now have a website which is awesome but I wouldn't mind more info on there. Maybe putting up the specials would be enough to convince me to wait in line on Saturday morning! If not I will get there anyway. Ultimate hashbrowns have owned me.

    (4)

  • J D.

    The best Hotcake in Portland, period. Though not cheap. Big portions so consider sharing. Good coffee considering its "diner" coffee.

    (4)

  • Jacob M.

    Whether you're hung over at night, in the morning or just need a breakfast, this is the place. Anyone and everyone should eat at The Hotcake House and if you haven't, shame on you. This is just a Portland must landmark, as far as I'm concerned. 24 hours a day. Not the best, trendy, hip place, but that makes it all the much better!

    (4)

  • Bryan I.

    Somehow food tastes better when it's cooked by ex-cons, or maybe it's because it's 4am and you've got to get something in your stomach to distract your body and delay an impending hangover...either way, this is my favorite greasy spoon to visit any hour of the day. Open 24 hours, huge portions at standard diner prices, breakfast, lunch, and dinner options, plenty of seating, and not too far from downtown or east-side joints FTW!!! *Note: do NOT expect to see "certified organic", "locally-sourced" or "we love our customers" signs/verbage anywhere in this place :-)

    (4)

  • Tiffany M.

    Sometimes we all just need some damn good comfort food and to not worry about all the calories and THIS is the place you want to go for that! Around since the 60's/70's and family-owned and operated, The Original Hotcake House is so well-known for it's amazing comfort-food dishes like burgers, steak, and chicken fried steak that even Snoop Dogg himself stops in here to eat after his concerts in Portland. But the real winner here is the hotcakes - NOT pancakes, hotcakes! Using a special recipe, their hotcakes are by far some of the best I've EVER ate. To convince you even further, I've known about six different people that hated pancakes yet every time they eat here they always get an order of the hotcakes with their meal. So if you've never had the pleasure of eating at this nostalgically preserved gem that sits right near the east entrance to the Ross Island Bridge then this is a must-have to add to your bucket list. Whether it's breakfast with the family or late-night post-drinking grub, this is definitely a little history of Portland you don't want to regret missing out on. And who knows...maybe some late night you'll run into the "Lion" himself with his tour bus sitting out front.

    (5)

  • Phong D.

    I'm shocked that I haven't review the Original Hotcake House (OHH). This is my go-to place for greasy, divey breakfast. Parking is difficult so I usually park on side streets. Expect a bit of wait after placing your order. In exchange you will get large servings of no-frills, Ron Swanson-approved breakfast. The prices are reasonable and you will leave acting / feeling / thinking like Ron Swanson.

    (4)

  • Vincent V.

    Great food and open 24 hrs a day. I have yet to stray from their breakfast food. It's that good!

    (4)

  • Kelly K.

    Greasy diner with the BEST comfort food. Portions are way huge. Prices are great for the amount of food you get. Do not leave this place until you've ordered a hotcake. It's about as big as your head and will make you melt in your chair. Yes, melt. I drive almost 30 minutes to eat here. The bacon is some of the best I've ever had. The home fries are amazing. Open 24 hours.

    (5)

  • Jessica S.

    Awesome service! Delicious gluttonous food! Nom nom nom! I am on a low carb diet and there is plenty of options here! I got the ultimate burger with no bun and it was amazing. Many side salad was little generic, but it's a side salad. Sadly, I got too excited to eat and forgot to take picture so here is our devoured left overs!

    (4)

  • Rob H.

    Chicken fried steak pretty tasty. The fact that I ate dinner there and my chicken fry came with eggs, hash browns and toast (hot cakes was also an option) threw me at first but everything was good and melded together well.

    (4)

  • Hannah G.

    Hotcake House is an entity onto itself. You have the elderly regulars. You have the drunk high schoolers. And then you have the poorly mistaken people who come here with expectations. The one time I wasn't here past 11pm, it just felt sad. It's greasy. The portions would make even Shaq full. The lines are long. You get yelled at if you take more than 30 seconds to order by the cashier. I didn't think they could mess up tea, but boy was I wrong. The music ranges from questionable to funnnkkaayyy midnight dance party. You don't go to Hotcake House intentionally, you just end up there. In short, I wouldn't change a thing.

    (3)

  • Marisol J.

    This is one of my favorite places for quick and really good breakfast food. I haven't tried anything else on the menu except for the eggs, pancakes and sausages - they are all yummy. However, ordering here can get very pricey. I haven't experienced long lines when I've come but there are tons of people here at all hours of the day. The atmosphere is interesting to say the least and the later you show up (after 9 p.m.), the more strange/entertaining the crowd gets. Aside from the food, one of my favorite parts about this place is the jukebox. I love music, and their music selection is really fun. I've noticed that I never plan to come to the Hotcake House, it just happens. If you haven't been, I hope that you end up here at least once - it's definitely an experience.

    (4)

  • Suzanne I.

    One of Portland's best landmarks! Have NEVER had a bad meal in the nearly 40 years we've been eating there! EVERYTHING on the menu is great!!!

    (5)

  • Peter S.

    Great place for late night munchies! Ultimate hash-browns is one of my favorite dish! Generous portions and you can't go wrong with anything on the menu really.

    (4)

  • Gary L.

    Good old school food ... homemade pancakes not from some add water mix !!!! never frozen hash browm potatos . .. funky old s.e. portland building ...

    (4)

  • Kirsten G.

    Just okay. My eggs were overcooked, and that in and of itself will keep me from going here again (greasy spoon diners should ALWAYS get the eggs right). The coffee was weak and the place is only just passably clean, but the portions are large and the jukebox is awesome. I just think there are other diners in Portland with better food for a reasonable price.

    (3)

  • Benson N.

    I've actually never been here before earlier than 11 p.m. and also never before on a weekday except Friday. All the times I've been here the lines are long and there is a ton of people drunk people inside. (Me included in that group) The food is generously proportioned and priced how it should be. I do not think their food is healthy for you so I try to avoid it.. But hey when your judgements impaired somehow you just end up at this place and waiting in line until it's time to order. The FOOD is much better than Shari's, Denny's and Elmer's. Although I worry about the overall cleanliness of this place. 4 stars with an absolute luminosity of 1. (That means they're pretty darn bright stars.)

    (4)

  • Ryan A.

    There are two types of dives. The dives that are dives and the dives that are diamonds in the rough. This place is a dive. The food isn't great. The food is what you expect if you aren't expecting the opposite of what you should be expecting. Got it?

    (2)

  • Alysha H.

    The food was good, the bacon was cooked perfectly, very hard to find. It is a bit expensive for what it is. You could get the same thing at Waffle House for half price and be equally as satisfied.

    (4)

  • Peter B.

    If you have a complete disregard for your health, but want a meal that's filling, decadent, tasty, and fun, this is the place for you.

    (5)

  • Gabriel P.

    Went here after the club on a Friday night/morning at 1am. Ordered pancakes, eggs, and sausage. Pancakes came out dark but raw batter on the inside. Sausage was undercooked but ate it anyway. Eggs very standard and fine. Not the kind of place where you return your food at the after bar rush when the line goes out the door. Will go to D enn y's next time.

    (1)

  • r s.

    This is like gangsta rehab. The employees would not be out of place performing a drive by. That said they are great folks. The food is cooked to order with large portions and great flavors. Classic Portland late night eatery. Don't save seats or they will give you a boot. So you can save that high school nonsense for the other late night eateries like Applebee's, Denny's, or IHOP. The place is great for what it does... feed you well late at night.

    (4)

  • Art B.

    Yelp brought me here and it didn't disappointe. Breakfast was great! I would definitely come back if I lived nearby but just passing thru on our way to California.

    (4)

  • Chris C.

    Eesh... this place... is gross. Every time I've been here, the tables have either not been wiped down, or bussed (or both). I understand that restaurants get busy, but come on... it doesn't take long to send out the dishwasher to swing a rag around every now and again. Really. 5-10 minutes tops. The food here is not good. I've been here sober as well as not, and though I admit it was more pleasurable when not, my stomach relays that it still was not pleasurable the next day. What are they putting in the food here? It may be cheap, but I'd rather go hungry than eat here. Or better yet, wait until something good opens nearby. Seriously, this place is nasty and so is the food.

    (1)

  • Trisha M.

    Still the best in inner sep. Been going there since high school and not much has changed. They still have delicious breakfast fare at a reasonable price 24 hrs a day. I love the pancakes. They are always well done, just the way I like them. If you're new to Pdx, give them a try. You won't be disappointed. Great place to grab breakfast after the bars close.

    (5)

  • Robert V.

    This is an awesome place! i came here with a friend Saturday before i had to go to work! I ordered the biscuits and gravy special, it came with your choice of ham, sausage or something else i forgot... but i picked the ham, and i got two eggs over easy, It was very Delicious! some people say the staff are rude but they was very nice and friendly, i guess i didn't get them on a bad day! oh well that is great for me but bad for the other customers that had bad experiences with them! all in all my experience was great!

    (4)

  • Frances B.

    I'd rather go hungry than eat from this place. It's nasty all around! Don't waste your time.

    (1)

  • Mike S.

    We went here out of convenience, it was there. Walk through a line to the counter, order and pay, go find a seat. Didn't take long we got our food, looked good. None of the food had any good flavor. My sausage in my omelet tasted off, a few bites later I had a piece of plastic in my mouth. I recommend you stay away from here! A short time later I squirted it all out, not pleasant!

    (1)

  • David A.

    I go here quite frequently, but I wouldn't say it's the greatest. It can tend to lack in customer service, and a lot of the food seems like it isn't put together well. For instance the berries put on the waffles are just frozen and in fake sugary syrup.

    (4)

  • Nick C.

    I'm really not sure what rating to give this place. I always hate coming here, but I always enjoy the food and leave satisfied. The food itself is pretty good (or at least the dishes I've tried so far have been good). The portion sizes are huge, which means I can practically guarantee you won't leave hungry. Lastly, the prices are very reasonable for the amount of food you get. Unfortunately, everything else about this place flat-out sucks. Whenever I go, I generally go after hours when every other place is closed (somewhere in the neighborhood of 2-5 A.M.) The place gets packed around this time, but they usually only have two or three people working there. This means that it takes an inordinately long time to get your food. Don't be surprised if you have to wait 10 minutes in line to place your order, then wait an additional 30 or even 40 minutes to get your food. From the looks of things, it appears there's only one guy who prepares all the meals. He's a hard worker for sure, but one cook alone can't maintain a busy restaurant, no matter how skilled he is. The understaffing also means several other important tasks get ignored, like cleaning and bussing tables. It's not uncommon for dirty dishes to remain on a table long after the patrons have left, and the building itself generally has an unclean, scuzzy look to it. I'm not a religious man at all as I don't believe in a higher power, but I always recite a silent prayer whenever I come here; I pray to some imaginary divine being asking them to make it so that I don't have to use the bathroom during my stay. How bad is the bathroom? Well, if I had to choose between using that toilet or going in my pants, I think I'd rather go in my pants. The first time I came here, the toilet seat had old poop encrusted onto it. It's better to suffer the embarrassment of going in your pants rather than parking your rear end atop another man's crusty old poo. Don't get me wrong, I am not condemning the staff by any means. They all work very hard and are constantly busy. It's not like they sit around doing nothing, they actually work their butts off to make this place run smoothly (or about as smoothly as it possibly can with only two people steering the ship.) If management would hire a couple more workers, I think conditions would improve tenfold, but until then, this is a decent, but flawed restaurant.

    (3)

  • Jaben C.

    I used to come here pretty much once a month when I dropped my kid off with mom. We would stop and have a nice traditional Sunday breakfast. And discuss the silly photo on the wall of the immense pancake pile. The food is good greasy diner food. The omlets are super big and most people I've been wi don't eat a whole one. My big problem is the seating. The whole order then sit system just doesn't work. Too many idiots can't figure it out.

    (4)

  • Kai L.

    Excellent breakfast food! I always get the over easy eggs, toast and hashbrowns. I love how they make their hashbrowns!

    (5)

  • Charles B.

    HELP ME! I have been sitting here for 28 minutes for a cheeseburger. It hasn't shown up, so I can't speak to its quality. But at this point, in order to deserve the wait, this cheeseburger had better show up in Aphrodite's asshole. And now it is 37 minutes. I would have rather sucked my car's floor mats clean. Burger showed up at 51 min. Burger a solid B; fries inedible. Wow was this ever a bad decision

    (2)

  • Ash B.

    Oh, Hotcake House. You've had my heart in your greasy hands for 14 years now. I love your food so much... So I've been going to the Original Hotcake House since before the new millennium and I've enjoyed every bite of it. I love what dinner items and sandwiches I've had; however, whether I'm there at 4am or 8pm, I almost guarantee I'm getting breakfast. Just thinking about the hash browns, omelettes, hotcakes, french toast and waffles I've been craving fortnightly since the 90's has been making me salivate. I love it so much that I live within walking distance of it now and I possibly couldn't be happier with that. I live in a great neighborhood: a couple decent bars, a lovely park I go to regularly, the Aladdin Theater, and - most importantly to me - the Original Hotcake House. My personal 24 hour greasy spoon paradise, jukebox and all.

    (5)

  • Mikhail H.

    This is a Portland institution! 2 am...drunk, sober, stoned...whatever really and you will end up here. The restaurant is not much to look at but there is a reason there is a nonstop line out the door. The open grill and huge portions are great enough but their food is amazing. The are one of the only breakfast places which know how to cook bacon properly instead of either burning it or serving it half raw. Their hash browns are unique and some of the best I have ever had. Warning - at bar-thirty it gets SUPER crowded so be patient and ready to deal with an insane amount of drunk hipsters.

    (4)

  • Melissa T.

    I have been to this place many times for late-night cravings, but it gets a 1-star review for the extreme hostility I experienced the other day as a queer person. If you are gay, lesbian, or queer, beware--this establishment is not a safe place!

    (1)

  • Rat B.

    I loved this place when I first came here in the 90's, and I love it now. Their sausage patty is the size of a serious burger! The french toast is at bit meager, the syrup is too thin, and that's the sum total of negative things I can say about this place.

    (4)

  • Lydia H.

    I can see the perk of this place: 24 hours, a jukebox, and simple diner fare. I would probably like this place more if it was 3 a.m., I was 22 and hammered. Overpriced, mediocre, greasy food. Possibly 3 stars if the price reflected the quality. Ok so the hotcakes are good but the mushroom and cheese omelet I could easily go without (I don't even want to know how much butter and oil is in that thing). Plus on my second visit my omelet had much less filling and looked half the size. Vegetarian selection is also very limited. Been here twice now; I came, I saw, never again. I'd rather go the ihop at Cascade Station.

    (2)

  • Marcus O.

    got a tip to drop by this place from a portland local. this little dive is not quite what i was expecting when i rounded the bend and saw the place. once inside, the line suggested that it has a decent rotation of customers -- probably a lot of repeats. ORDERING to order, you walk up to the counter. i'm making this sound easy... but the counter when i saw it had a long line in the way, forcing you to stand next to the kitchen, watching them cook, getting either hungrier or scared. it also seems like this corralling mechanism is actually a ploy since the establishment doesn't have as many seats as it does patrons and works as a useful way of slowing down the flood. that was a fun twenty minutes. watch your eyes when your order. their servings are enormous. you might want to consider splitting something with your friend. DINING make sure you get all of your utensils, water, etc before you head to your table because you will be shimmying yourself between a portly gentleman in awkward suspenders and an out of place jukebox to get through. once you're seated, your food shows up promptly, though. eat up. their servings are preposterous, simultaneously feeding you while starving another nation somewhere. the taste is decent, too. really good hot cakes. really average everything else. if you're hungry for pancakes, this is definitely the place to go. OTHER personally, i like dives. i would have given this place a higher rating if the trough system was better designed (do not imagine a temple grandin concept going on here.) also, the bathroom was disgusting. it's pretty much one of those things where you walk in and wonder how you're going to walk out without further contamination. you remember the hand towels on the dispensers where it doesn't actually dispense? instead the towel rolls back into the box and comes back out in a loop? yeah, that's super sanitary. here's a pro tip for you: take hand sanitizer -- kills 99.99% of germs.

    (3)

  • Sara Q.

    Place was pretty good. Pancakes were nice and fluffy and my favorite part of course was the BACON. It was thick and meaty.. I thought the thick slab looked amazing precooked before the chef put it on the grill. So when it got to my table.. I'm not going to lie, I was over come with joy. B's food was good too. He got an ultimate hashbrowns with eggs and toast. His was delicious too.. It was a bit greasy but they did use sausage, bacon, Canadian bacon all in the hashbrowns as well as onions and green bell peppers. Overall delicious. A bit greasy. People who worked there were nice. The lady that took our order however was weird. She didn't seem like she wanted to be there. Which made me feel less welcome I guess. overall good experience and i would definitely come back in the future possibly in a month or so.

    (3)

  • Sam H.

    Using the word 'unpretentious' to describe something has almost become in of itself pretentious. But, the Hotcake House definitely falls into this category. Huge plates, good eggs and fantastic breakfast meats. A little greasy, maybe, but delicious. The hash browns maybe leave a little to be desired. But not so much I wasn't able to finish a whole plate of them off. I've had the bacon and chicken fried steak. Both are excellent, the chicken fried steak came with some exceptionally good gravy. I dig. Breakfast for 2? $22 with HUGE portions that kept me full way past lunchtime. I'll take that deal.

    (4)

  • Tony P.

    well that did it, im never going back to this place again! on most nights this place is just a long wait for shitty food, but today is was a short wait for GLASS in our food!!! AS i was trying to some what enjoy my shitty, greasy and undercooked food, i noticed something hard in my food. I couldn't believe it GLASS. I tried to say something to the people working but if just fell on deaf ears. No one tried to fix the situation, they simply came to our table and acted as if maybe our salt shaker had chipped off into the food. But we didn't even have a salt shaker at our table. So then the food runner tried to fix the problem. she was very nice and tried to help. we asked for a refund and when she returned i was appalled to see that she only was bringing me back $2 and some change that probably came from her tips. She was great the only saving factor in this whole thing. Im never going back, i cant see myself eating at an establishment that doesn't care for its customers.

    (1)

  • Kal C.

    We hit it up right before the Yeeps starting pouring in post-pleYdom debauchery (no, that's not what really happened). They offer everything from crepes with fruit to big fat cheesy bacony hashbrowns. I'm supposed to be eating healthy...hmmm...yeah, no. I felt like bacon and grease and sausage AND gravy. The cashier is the fastest cashier ever. Props, dude. I wonder how fast this guy types. The food came out fast and it was very reasonably priced. Despite eating like 2000 calories*, I still felt wonderful and walked up the hill to my car fatter and happier. *guesstimate

    (4)

  • Dana G.

    Why is it so crowded here at nearly midnight and why for the love of god is the line moving so slowly. The half of us that didn't quit loved our late-night breakfast in a little nook in the back. My friend's fries delivered as we were about to leave? Just a reminder that the name of the game is Unreasonable-Wait-A-Lot.

    (3)

  • Brent C.

    I want to like this place, and I'll probably give it another chance. But the pancakes I had were undercooked and doughy. Too thick for the griddle maybe? I don't know, because they looked fine on the outside, but they were unfinished. Sad. It's hard to find an unpretentious greasy spoon diner along the Hipster Corridor. I think I was kind of hoping it was like Kings Omelets in outer NE, but it wasn't quite up to snuff.

    (2)

  • John R.

    Best chicken fried steak in the city (breakfast or dinner style). Meat lovers omelette is brilliant. Excellent french fries. Great portions, super prices. Old fashioned greasy spoon style. Friendly staff. Open 24 hours!!! We love this place!

    (5)

  • The Elf A.

    I went to this place on a somewhat blind okcupid date, she knew this place was open 24 hours and suggested it. When we ordered the guy at the register didn't understand what we were saying, and kind of gave an attitude. Everyone there seem to be uninterested in giving customer satisfaction and seemed burned out. We paid and was given a number and sat ourselves down. It took up to an hour it felt like to get out food. I wasn't hungry but ordered a side of home fries and she ordered the bacon cheese burger with fries. Her fries were totally dark brown BURNT, over cooked and inedible, my homefries were stringy (how can potato seem like weird pasta) and was over cooked as well and had no flavor to it. Theyre prices seem over priced for the quality. Maybe I should have ordered something different?

    (2)

  • Dante G.

    I've been coming here now for 18 years which seems like eternity but not so long when I take into account that the staff that has been cooking my food since I was in high school still does it today amongst the other staff that has been hired over the years. I know this place gets a bad wrap for a late night spot full of drunks on the weekend but let's be honest, when you're drunk the last thing on your mind is standing in a line for thirty minutes to eat then waiting another ten for your food, so they must be doing something right. This place is labeled as a grease spoon, well so what. They were around long before Portland was hip and the place to live. Their food is tasty, filling and you leave here with the need to take a nap. You're not gonna get that from all your so new vegetarian/vegan spots. Last time I checked, when was breakfast and burgers supposed to be healthy? In closing, if you want the best pancakes in Portland, yeah, I said it, the best, then come down to the hotcake house and if that's not the first thing you order then their hash Browns are a close second. Overall, I've had 75% of the menu and it's always been good but don't take my word for it.

    (5)

  • Terry C.

    I've been a fan of this place for a long time. I like the atmospher of this place. It's a hole in a wall place. We all know that hole in the wall places boast the good food, this place is that hole in the wall. $13.95 t-bone special with toast, eggs and hashbrowns, yeah I'll order that. The Hawaiian Omlet, doesn't sound appealing at all. Canadian Bacon with Pineapples and cheese, no thanks, how about something with Spam instead of Canadian Bacon? Fan of the omlet, fan of the grease pit the restaurant is. Fan of the old school look, but not a fan of the sticky floors. The food is good and fresh. The main ingrediat for this place is butter. Everything has butter in it. The toast is dripping with butter, it may not be healthy but I'm not going to give up over buttered toast hell if you don't like it I'll eat it. GF likes the three eggs, over easy with hashbrowns and sausage links. She likes to take the eggs and put them over the hashbrowns. Salt them, throw some peppers and grab a fork and start stabing the hell out of it. Yeah baby, stab! Stab like crazy. Try the place if you feel like breakfast for dinner.

    (4)

  • Leslie C.

    Well, this place has its moments - as many who have been there know, and as many others have remarked, the service can sometimes be mediocre. i've had good and bad experiences here in the last couple years, one of which left me with a bad taste in my mouth regarding service - If you want great Pancakes, then this is the place. If you want a classy, middle-class place to eat, this is not the place. The interior is borderline gross and funky smells will creep up on you when walking through certain parts of the restaurant. The funny thing about this place is there is ALWAYS a line wrapped around the ordering counter every time I come. Bewilders me to see how many people are head-over-heels for this place! Hotcakes are definitely good here, hence the name. This are by far my favorite item here, with some jam or syrup and butter, you cannot beat the taste and texture of these things! Recommend the Food, wish they would do something about the Restaurant aesthetics.

    (3)

  • Lesley R.

    SE Portland, OR hotcakes. Very good, classic old school diner - will go back! Nice people, funky cool place, great biscuits and gravy (and I do not even like biscuits and gravy). I give it a 5 because they were fast, courteous, good food, no fuss -- and because there are not enough of these cool, old school places.

    (5)

  • Erin L.

    Make no mistake, the pancakes at Hot Cake House are the best pancakes you will ever have. They are perfectly light, fluffy and the size of just one will fill you up. I think the syrup makes them better too because it isn't as thick as most syrups. Besides pancakes, the second best food they make is their ultimate hashbrowns. The hashbrowns are the perfect amount of crispy and they come mixed with bacon, cheese, veggies and sour cream. Both the pancakes and the ultimate hashbrowns definitely will fill you up. In case you don't want either, they do serve eggs, crepes, waffles and other breakfast goodies. One good tip to remember about this place is you are not allowed to choose a table until after you order your food. Also, it does get busy in the morning, so plan on going early. But just In case you are craving a pancake at any time of the day, they are open 24 hours. I would have to say that the Hotcake House is probably my favorite place to get breakfast in Portland.

    (5)

  • Michelle H.

    Holy hell, that's one big ass cheap omelet to soak up all that alcohol you may or may not have consumed not too long before taking your sleep deprived self here. You'd expect such a classy joint to put out mediocre food, but not so. You'd be sorely mistaken. These are some legit eggs. Don't go try to hold a table while your friends are in line. You're going to get reprimanded faster than you can believe. They've got their eye on you, even if you think they don't. Self serve water is love.

    (3)

  • Kat A.

    By far the best place for late-night breakfast! The insomniac's best friend! This place puts other all-night diners to shame. Food's made right in front of your face. The portions are big enough to suffocate a small child, so don't be ashamed to share. Lack of sleep or not, there's seriously no denying how delicious their pancakes are. Giant, fluffy, sweet, hearty, savory, thick pancakes, so damn good you'll wish that they came in blanket-size so you could curl up and sleep in one! Long story short: Can't sleep? It's time for some Original Hotcake House. Stat.

    (5)

  • K. H.

    You know how in the very beginning of Shaun of the Dead they show people going about their business like zombies? They're NOT zombies at this point but they're walking around in a trance, checking out groceries with no expression, waiting for the bus with a dead look in the eye? That's EXACTLY how the staff is here. I sat at a table watching them interact with each other (cashier, cook and waitress) and they barely looked at each other, never talked, and just looked pissed off and uninterested. The restaurant itself was fairly clean but they way they prepare the food leaves a lot to be desired. I saw the cook scoop something with her bare hands( batter? hash browns?) and slap it onto the grill. Then I saw her open the refrigerator with the same hands and continue cooking. No gloves, no hand washing. My appetite was gone before the food came. The food: I had blueberry pancakes. I assumed the berries would be cooked into the batter but instead cold, canned blueberries were put on top of hot pancakes. Not good. The pancakes were mushy in the middle. I had about 4 bites and gave up. My companions had chicken fried steak and I have to say that the potatoes were good. But that's about it. We won't be back.

    (2)

  • Thee I.

    Let's get down to it. This place friekin rules. Great portions, great food. I've had almost everything here, and it is all excellent. The BACON is thick cut and incredible. If you want a killer breakfast, this is your place. You won't regret it. Say hi to Tye Dye Terry!!

    (5)

  • Jeremy B.

    came in after driving around for a half hour looking for food at 2am, and stopped by here due to the crowd of cars. I waited about 15 minutes in line to order my food, which was perfect because I was high as a kite and couldnt make up my mind! I finally decided as I was next in line. I got 3 eggs over medium, well done hash browns, corned beef hash and wheat toast. plus coffee total: $12 The eggs were big and made just right the hash browns I ordered well done, were indeed well done and delicious :) the corned beef hash was a great addition and I would recommend it, idk where they get it from but it's tasty. The toast was toast, but they have some great mini packs of jelly! The coffee wasn't half bad for coffee that you serve yourself from a coffee pot on a burner. I came in stoner starving, and left loosening my belt! 100% full, and that is REALLY saying something for me, as it never happens. I was a tad ashamed of some of the other people who come, I sat at a table to watch this group of 4 eat 1/3 of their food and then make a big mess and bounce without even tipping. Tsk tsk tsk. After saying that last thing, they are kinda slow to clean up tables, but the cooks and cashier are the ones to do so! They need another staff member, or a spot to put your dishes for better cleanup. That didn't affect my experience though as I sat right down and was comfy.

    (5)

  • Brittney F.

    If you've had gastric bypass surgery,they will not let you order from the kids menu. I had my card and id and the cashier had to ask two people.

    (1)

  • Tom M.

    Evidently, a lot of people rave about this place. When I walked in I was immediately grossed out. It's dingy, low on atmosphere, and the workers... well, you have to see it for yourself. For me a restaurant has to be more than just about the food. There has to be little atmosphere to go with it and this place is actually short on both. My 2 over-easy eggs looked and felt more like they had been poached. And the hash browns... Oh the hash browns. YUK! I think that if a place is so hot in the community and always busy, they could spend a little of that dough on sprucing up the place. I don't think I'll be going back anytime soon and I'll be trying to figure out what the rave is about for some time to come.

    (2)

  • Andrew H.

    1) Do you like to pickle your liver with impunity? I'm not talking about having a couple cocktails after work...I'm talkin' close-the-bars-down-on-a-"school night"-and-end-up-in-some-questionable-character'­s-hawttub-pounding-Old-German's. 2) Do you find yourself waking up before God in a quest to climb the highest mountain and punch said Deity in the FACE?! 3) Are you a bored teen with nothing to do in a town barren of 24-hour Walmarts? If you answered "Yes" to one or more of the above, THIS PLACE IS FOR YOU. I came here mainly because it's the "only show in town" (at least as far as I know) as far as places to get a good breakfast/food between the "deadzone" hours of 3:30am and 6/7am. We were setting out to climb Mt Adams and I get REALLY cranky if I don't have food in the morning. The face-melting nu-metal on the jukebox coupled with a "gyro" omelet flanked by a complimentary side of M.A.S.S.I.V.E. pancakes (don't have to pay extra for the 'cakes here kids, they replace the other starches without causing additional wallet strain) was the perfect PUMP UP for a long pack-in on the mount (also: coffee). As long as I'm hitting high-points I'll be hitting this place. I may even do the "1)" setup sometime too...

    (3)

  • Curtis C.

    I get that it's in a funky retro-ish building. I understand the 24 hour appeal. I don't get the super greasy food, funky(in a bad way) staff, and the high prices (in comparison to the food quality). Went with some friends who were in town. Yes we were hung over. Yes, it helped sop up the booze in our stomachs. But it sat like a brick, and I felt dirty afterwards. Now if I'm ever starving at 4 in the morning, and nothing else is open, I may, repeat MAY, come back again, but I highly doubt it.

    (2)

  • Erika S.

    This was one of the first places recommended to me when I moved to Portland, and it has retained its atmosphere of chaos ever since. Buried in the midst of late night crowds, the food is plentiful and filling, the environment is friendly (in a churlish, diner type of way), and the crowds (especially after the bars close) are unpredictable. We wandered in at 6pm one evening, and found the place to ourselves- the staff was great, the space was open and airy- all in all, I would love to rent the place out for my birthday!

    (4)

  • Laura C.

    Only one of the best late night grub spots in town! I don't always come here at 2am for their fabulously huge plate of biscuits and country gravy (most of the time I do though), but sometimes come for their beef gyro. I know the food carts have stolen the claim as making them best, but come 2am, I say the Hotcake House has them beat! That and the fact that many of the food carts are closed that time of night. For me, the Hotcake House is on the way home from downtown and open 24 hours. It's a win/win situation. The only downside to this restaurant is the size. At 2am, you will get stuck in an hour long line to the register to order. I got lucky once and a guy we were with walked up to the front of the line and offered to pay for the person's meal - who was ordering - if he could sneak our order in. The man gladly accepted. Not that it didn't piss off everyone behind him. In a perfect world, you could sit and get table service. Not that I have any option - other than Taco Bell - that time of night. Regardless, the servings are HUGE and their prices are good. Just make sure you split items like the has hash browns - because it's waaay too much for one person to eat. In fact, we had leftovers - and there was 3 of us working on them! The best time to try this restaurant is between 9am and 1am then 4am to 9am. Otherwise, you will get stuck in the line of people showing up after being out at the clubs all night.

    (4)

  • Ben K.

    Yo, fuck this place. After a night event, my out of town friends were hungry, and I was tasked with finding the restaurant. My go to for many years for food after 9 was always the Hotcake House. Not awesome, but decent, and nobody was really a dick to us. Apparently the 'Don't be an asshole to your customers' rule no longer applies. We all ordered and sat down, waited the customary 'just a little bit too long,' and our food started to appear. Mine was first, and the food runner told me my toast would be another minute. No bigs. The rest of the food started coming out, and though my friends had verified that the burgers came with a side of mayonnaise, they weren't there. Nor were any of the other sides or anything that people had ordered. Which isn't a big deal, you know, whatever, but they did come/were requested, so we started to remind him. He brought back a side, which he threw on the table, when one of my friends asked "These are supposed to come with mayo, aren't they?" to which he replied, I think louder than he anticipated, "I dunno, are they?" Another in our group was up near the front at this point to hear this dude complain about us to the other staff at the restaurant. He did bring back about 4 sides of mayo (the burgers did come with them) when he came back, and he sounded a little more cool headed. But my toast? It never came, and apparently pointing out the mistakes of the waitstaff was a big no-no, so I didn't bother to ask. Seriously, I understand it's a greasy diner and I shouldn't expect five star service, but I don't really expect "everything I order" to count as "5-star service." I won't be back.

    (1)

  • Adam R.

    Awesome 24 hour breakfast place. Not the absolute most flavorful food in Portland, but good old fashioned comfort food at any point in the day or night.

    (4)

  • Kyle D.

    I came here lately a few times, and whether to-go or eat-in I am liking the service, and the food seemed better than ever. Have a Hawaiian omelot. Frickin amazing.

    (5)

  • Minky T.

    I so wanted to enjoy this spot, as I'd heard so many good things about it from locals and in the reviews. I was disappointed though. My man ordered two eggs and two cakes, which were made very well. He is picky about his eggs and these ones passed muster. The cakes were good, a little on the heavy side, but sweet and soaked up the syrup well. I ordered the ultimate hash browns as a side order. When they came out they looked amazing, but as I dug in, the predominate flavor was grease. It's really hard to make potatoes unappealing to me, but these ones were swimming in so much grease I couldn't taste the veggies, bacon, or sausage. I will come back for hot cakes, but I'll stick to only eating those here in the future.

    (3)

  • Glenda H.

    Order...it just like you want it...expect huge portions...find a place to sit...24 hours. I have only been disappointed once out of 20 times eating here. I dont like to have to struggle for a table but things keep moving and I never have to wait...it all seems to work out. The cook (main one) has been their for a very long time and he knows what he is doing. You have to try this place for breakfast....I have never eaten anything else (lunch or dinner food) because the breakfasts are soooo outstanding.

    (5)

  • Katie H.

    I see the appeal of this place at 2:30 am when nothing else is open and you've been on a bender. Maybe if I'd walked in then I would think better of it. However......I was stone cold sober. It seems to be a hang-out for those not quite 21 and I noticed that most everything was a little sticky. We ordered cheap greasy breakfast food for three people and our bill came to close to 50.00....little pricey in my book. I'm sure in the other reviews you can read about the line and the tables you have to fight for. The upside is the pancakes are fairly tasty, and I give the hashbrowns a thumbs up as well. But for the hassle I will hit the carts next time.

    (2)

  • Will R.

    The food is not worth the poor service! Not family friendly, rude staff, cramped space makes for an un-inviting atmosphere. Policy requiring everyone stand regardless of how many free tables there are, or how soon the family will get food until the order is actually in. if you encounter this rule, or if you ask about this rule, you are met with instant hostility.. Regardless because numerous people find this rediculous.

    (1)

  • Annaliza S.

    This place is awesome - open 24 hours. I hav lived in Portland all my life, have passed by this place a million times and have never tried it until this year. My best friend swore by it and took me there one morning, and I have loved it since then! The menu is simple, and the amount of food is huge. You have different options, and the staff is friendly. Pancakes and hashbrowns are to die for and what I always go for. Their hashbrowns are like no other and are pure heaven. Just be aware, it can get super packed and it can take some time to find an open table. I've learned the later in the day, the less packed, weekends are packed. But its all worth the wait

    (4)

  • Bob M.

    We were here after libations, it is known for this after all, and maybe it was because it was too early or we were not drunk enough, but we had a pretty not-great meal. And for those that are tracking this, we were there 9ish on a Wednesday. This was a shame, because I was showing the place off to guests and we have had very good breakfasts at a more appropriate breakfast-type hours, and assumed that we would have the same this night. Reviewing the reviews though, it does look like it depends on the time and day in which you when wash up on Hotcake's shores. Thinking about the meal, cook that I am, it seemed like Chef had her flat top too hot or got side-tracked, because everything was overcooked. One guest asked for her bacon crisp, and boy was it--it could have made a passable ninja star it was so hard, though she ate it. SO's hash browns were heavy on brown and not enough...um, hash. My sausage was hard brown on the outside, though, even with this cooking, very tasty after I got through the crust. I'm going back; it had to be an off night, or an off cook. It is normally a fine caloric orgy that I live for time to time, but for this meal it's getting 2 stars.

    (2)

  • David H.

    Been here a couple of times, and both times it was after 1:00 AM. This is a total "ended-up here 'cause I need to put something greasy in my stomach" place, and I'm thankful it is. The food quality is 'meh' - canned chili, american cheese, etc. But they are open 24 hours, and when you need them, their (very bright, very dated) sign out front is a beacon of hope, happiness, and knowledge that you will be set right within the next hour or less with grease, eggs, hash browns, pancakes, and other breakfast staples that provide healing when you've taken the evening too far. And you don't need to worry about standing out if you're in a bad state. The place is usually filled with people in the same situation. So, it's comfort, sustenance, and forgiveness, all rolled into a late night last stop. Kudos, guys! Please don't ever go away.

    (3)

  • Joey Y.

    One of the few Portland destinations that does not close at 8pm. In fact it's open 24HOURS! Located right off the Ross Island bridge, this place will satisfy your tongue and body. Their pancakes dipped in their maple syrup will melt away any bitterness and anger from the day. Their hash browns will make you want to make Original Hotcake House the place to propose to your girlfriend. But if you are worried about your weight, calorie intake, sodium intake, YOUR HEALTH, you might want to reconsider your choice. Well, that suggestion goes for every food chain there is in America.

    (4)

  • Candy R.

    Driving up we noticed the place was PACKED!!!!! This is the norm. Order first then get a table. Was in line for about 30 minutes before placing order. Food portions are UBER HUGE!!!!! Taste? Excellent!!!! I would def recommend this hole-in-the-wall!!!!!

    (4)

  • Andrew S.

    Great pancakes. Always been a nice late night spot if you time it correct. Service is shabby. And sometimes the cook was under the weather. But oh well. Bathroom was also a treasure. Most people who come here very late and think it's wonderful. Have had a few sips in them.

    (2)

  • Jeremy S.

    Friday, 18 Dec 2009, 10AM Chicken Fried Steak, Eggs (2, over easy), hashbrowns, sourdough, $8.95. The place was pretty busy for a mid-morning weekday. It was a large portion but I expected the CFS to be a little larger. I also noticed other plates with more hashbrowns than my own. I liked that the CFS was served OVER the sausage gravy and not the other way around. Unique. I finished everything on my plate. I didn't have to eat for the rest of the day. Food came pretty quick. What I like about this place is that it morphs into a totally different place after midnight. During the day, it's your typical hipster/worker, SE PDX b-fast place. When the clock strikes midnight and beyond...especially around 3am, you could come here just to spectate...and charge admission. What a motley group!

    (3)

  • Jason M.

    Been here before and loved it-!! But it's even better at 3 a.m. after a few drinks. I may like this place more for it being open 24 hours than for the food, but the food is good, don't get me wrong. I got there about 2:30 or so and the line was out the door and every table was taken. It took about 30 minutes or so to order and as you order, tables usually open up for ya.. After I ordered, food came out quick, eggs were done right, nice thick bacon, and the pancakes were real nice, too. Coffee-?? Nothing special, just hot...

    (4)

  • Valerie W.

    As much as this place seems like a late night staple here in Portland, the service and food is sometimes lacking. Late night crowds especially over the weekends are horrendus. The place is unfortunately too small to accomodate most of the time. Once you make it through the large line and order, the wait begins. 30+ minutes to get food. I'm sorry, but when I've been out all night and stop in for some greasy spoon food....the last thing I want to do is spend an overall hour from time of entry to time of receiving food. I'm hungry man! The food itself isn't too bad. The omelets are huge, the pancakes fluffy. Even their burgers are OK. The portions are large - large enough sometimes to share with two people. Go for the Ultimate Hashbrowns. Trust me. I've noticed prices have gone up over the years but still not terrible. Overall it sure as hell beats out the 24 hour chain restaurants as long as you can withstand the weekend wait. Parking is lacking as well.

    (3)

  • Angie Q.

    The night I visited this joint is a bit hazy as a giant group of friends and I ate there after spending a couple of hours at Aura (ehhh). I spefically remember a LONG line, peeing in the mens bathroom because someone was taking way too long in the women's, and some jackass laughing his butt off as I stumbled out. The food was worth the wait! I shared an omelet that had sausage, mushroom, and cheese, and a pancake? Servings are huge! It was fascinating to watch the cooks in action while in line!

    (4)

  • Joee L.

    This place was great! I ate here three mornings in a row because it was so good. I'm a huge fan of local, independent restaurants and this place didn't disappoint. They give you large portions for a reasonable price.

    (4)

  • Erin P.

    The Original Hotcake House place is another one of Portland's secrets. The place has a hole in the wall feel, it's not for everyone I'm sure. But the food is sooo good! Fresh cut hash browns, corned beef hash like my dad made when I was a kid, huge pancakes, the biscuits and gravy is a giant portion too, and that's just some of the breakfast menu. They serve burgers and sandwiches as well, which I haven't been able to bring myself to order, only because the breakfast is so good I just end up getting that! The prices are reasonable, especially considering the amount of food you get, really good portions. The last time we were there my 8 month old who we were holding and feeding reached out and before I could stop him grabbed my full milk and knocked it over spilling milk everywhere. We all hopped up and tried sopping it up with napkins but it was a large milk, and the large is pretty large! One of their bussers rushed over with a towel and helped us clean up the mess and also brought me out another milk, no questions asked (which I was surprised by, it was our stupid fault it spilled, I really didn't expect that!). The whole ordeal was made much easier by the staff there. I've seen people complain about them as being rude, but I've never seen that personally. I can see that they get too busy and preoccupied with getting our food and orders right to visit and be overly friendly at times, but I didn't come to visit. I came for the food, and they deliver every time. On the negative side, there's limited seating, they have a decent amount of tables, but it gets so busy that they fill up, and you can't reserve a table. You order your food at the front THEN, and only then, you can go find a table (rules are clearly stated at the front and at the entrance, I wouldn't be surprised if some of the people who complain about the attitudes here are people who don't follow the rules and get spoken to about it... just sayin). And there's very limited parking. Maybe 6-7 spaces, of that. It is backed up to a residential area though, so it's not horribly hard to find street parking. I usually just go at off peak times. So much easier to get parking and a good table. Brunch, after the breakfast rush, is good.

    (4)

  • Catherine G.

    Ok so the first time I came here to eat, I was 13. I am 27 now and living out of state in Texas and I will tell you that this is not only my favorite breakfast place of all time, but no matter what time of the day or night I fly into Portland, this is my first stop to eat. Yes, I love this place that much. The bacon, the omelettes, the no BS attitude and the jukebox keep me coming back. Oh yeah, and those hotcakes....those little pieces of fluffy heaven that welcome me home.... Yeah...I love this place!

    (5)

  • Camel R.

    Good beacon and pancake. Pancake texture is perfectly done. The best of all, is the steak. Simple pepper and salt but it is so well cook. Good job! Not many places can have a steak like this with the price. Need to try the flied chicken and scramble next time. Highly recommended.

    (4)

  • Pretty P.

    Me and my Husband had the waffles and it was like eating a thin cracker with syrup on it!!!was not good @ all. Now the bacon was freaking Amazing!!!!....

    (2)

  • Sam R.

    Jack Kerouac would have staggered into this place with his friends after a night of partying to soak up the booze and feed their empty belly in this old school pancake house. Their blurry eyes would have stared at the large white menu with black lettering over the kitchen. While the smell of hash-browns, eggs and pancakes cooked on the grill in front of them. Standing in line they would babble at each other on what to get then try to tell the cook who would ignore them while the cashier tried to get their attention. After ordering more food than is humanly possible to eat they would be given a number then stagger over to a booth forgetting to pickup their utensils on the way or pour themselves a cup of coffee from the self service coffee bar. They would sit in a corner both all talking about their evening as one of them selected music from the jukebox. As the music played in the background they would figure out to get the coffee and silverware themselves. Flopping back into their booth with coffee in hand they would talk, laugh and reflect upon their night while waiting for their food to be delivered. Platters of food would be delivered to the booth. Barely enough room for the food, coffee and condiments on the table. In a drunken state they would gorge themselves on plate size pancakes, piles of hash-browns, mountains of biscuits and grave. Original Hotcake House (OHH) opened in May of 1955 and doesn't seem it has a remodel since except for the light fixtures and security cameras, but is this very reason why it is funky cool. It is more than just stepping back in time. Emphasis on the more part. The portions are insanely large. The biscuits and gravy plate could easily feed two people or an entire 3rd world family. I could eat and I couldn't even finish my platter of food. Now don't confuse quantity and quality. More is not equal to better, but the food here isn't bad. It is levels above what you'll get at a chain restaurant, especially late at night. Is it the best in the area? No, there are better breakfast places that have better food and service, but one can't get any funkier and larger portions than this place. I asked the cashier what he would recommend and he suggested the pancakes, which was a great suggestion. I have to admit that I'm always in search for great biscuits and gravy, so I had to try theirs. It is only second to my mom's and grandma's, which is saying a lot. Like I said before, not the greatest in the world, but better than what I've got in the South. I was pleasantly surprised. It is places like this that make Portland great. It's like comparing Voodoo doughnuts to other doughnut houses. Is Voodoo the best, of course not but you can't get funkier and a wider variety of doughnuts. The OHH has to be judged on these merits. To end a night partying with friends before staggering home to dread the coming day, this is the place to top it off. If you sit long enough you'll see all walks of Portland come through the door feeding empty bellies.

    (5)

  • Songphon M.

    We went there around 11:00 p.m. and the place was packed but there was a limited number of servers and cooks. The food was very slow as we saw table after table left before we got our food. I ordered Junior Special which consisted of 1 hotcake, 1 egg and 2 bacons. I also ordered a hash-brown side order. The hotcake (pancake) was well-cooked and went well with the syrup. However, I didn't quite enjoy my bacon but I really liked the hash-brown. The server made a mistake in my friend's order by switching it with the other table's order so we had to wait longer to finish our meal. I guess it might be one of those nights when a lot of things went wrong...

    (3)

  • Jeff R.

    The food is super mediocre. Take that as a given. I've been a number of times, and it was never because I loved the food; it was only because it's one of few 24 hr places in portland that isn't mcdonalds. It's also not a particularly clean joint, and you can count on a dirty coffee cup or fork most nights. All that is fine, and I can accept it due to the greasy spoon nature of the place, however I just can't accept rudeness. The last time I came here I came with a friend, and when they gave her the wrong food and she asked to have it replaced with what she actually ordered, they flat-out refused to help us and insisted that she'd ordered what she'd been given. Even if that WERE true, there's no excuse for their nasty and anti-customer attitudes. They made a mistake and refused to correct it, and acted extremely put out that we would even ask. I won't be coming back.

    (1)

  • Holy-foo' X.

    A fellow graveshift worker and I stopped in here the other day after a particularly grueling shift , on the way to doing a little early morning fishing. As we waited to place our order, I recalled that I hadn't been here since late '98/ early '99. New owners and mgt. probably 5 or 6 times over since then, but the basic dynamic is exactly the same. No frills, probably some of the exact same recipes from the 1940s and 50s. Even the line chef looked like a retired "cookie" veteran from WWII/Korean War era... The gyro omelet I ordered turned out to be surprisingly good. They even made it w/egg beaters! That way I didn't scare the fish later, w/the deafening sound of my arteries hardening quite so much ;p My buddy and I split some chili-cheese fries, b/c we saw a platter of them waiting to be served up as we ordered, and they looked really good. I assure you, the relationship went straight down hill from there. Man alive, were they bad! The fries came to us already soggy (even the ones not covered in their death-by-hormel chili and cheese whiz!). After the inevitable crash and burn, all that's left are regrets...... and almost the entire plate o' chili-cheese fries. My friend got a burger, and said it was quite good. Fortunatey, neither of us left the place hungry, and ready for some commando-style angling on the Columbia... The flapjacks were solid, dependable little performers. No butter or syrup or any of that other Diabetes-if-you-please boo-yah necessary. How much cooler would it be, if they had called it the "Flapjack Shack" or "Ye ole Bedouin Flap Jack love tent" ??? I guess "Hotcake house" Is serviceable, just not very fun, nor imaginative. Way too close to "Waffle House", and for those of you that have experienced The Waffle House epidemic in the South, you already know the wisdom of keeping a healthy distance from them and your business' namesake... Back to our dine-in @ the House the other night. Let's talk about ambiance for a second: Even though it wasn't yet 4 in the a.m., there was a vibrant, noisy-but-fun vibe to the crowd. It looked like a group from a Mormon dance recital. Which one of these Pacific Islander/Asian little scamps kept feeding the jukebox to play old school country? I was loving it! My buddy and I were easily the oldest patrons in there by at least 10 years. Those youngsters' night was ending but ours, well, ours was just beginning... Thanks Hotcake House, for fueling us for a great day fishing!!!

    (3)

  • Lisa A.

    Ultimate Hash Browns! You really don't need to say anything else. I love going here for week night breakfast for dinner. not crowded at 6ish on a Tuesday night. Huge portions and did I mention the hasbrowns?

    (4)

  • Karen M.

    Back in high school my friend Nicole and I would stay out all night (pulling the old "I'm staying at her house" switcheroo on the parents). We would listen to the Violent Femmes "Good Feeling" over and over in the tape deck of my Accord hatch back, especially the line "laughing at the sunrise, like he's been up all night" while we drove to Malibu for dawn patrol. Last night, I was definitely nostalgic for those days. Circumstances led me to the Hotcake House at 5:30 in the am. And it was not 'cause I got up at the crack of dawn - it was definitely alcohol induced. We *tried* to go to Voodoo doughnuts but it was closed. My friend said he knew some place that was open 24 hours. The Californian in me immediately thought "We're going to Denny's." But no, this was no Denny's, this place makes even rock n' roll Denny's look tame. I fell in love with the place from the outside alone. I was so hungry that my dog, who was along for the ride, started to look like those cartoons where the character is just a bunch of cuts of meat. My eyes bulged out of my head when we walked in - the place was so dirty. Napkins and food all over the floor, we had definitely arrived in the wake of the post last call crew. While a bacon cheeseburger sounded outstanding, I went for two eggs sunnyside up, bacon, hash browns and toast. We got our number and I leaned back and viewed the show through my bloodshot eyes. I felt like an anthropologist viewing the insanely amazing cross section of people. I wish I had a little safari jacket on. We waited for about 20 minutes (who knows..I wasn't exactly looking at my watch which was part of the reason I ended up there). To their credit they sent out someone to sweep up the carnage in the interim. My breakfast was pretty damn good and my friend inhaled his Denver omelette. Minus star for having Cholula not Tapatio. We left as the sun was peeking up..."oh slippin' and slidin', what a good time but now, I have to find a bed, that can take this weight." Burp.

    (4)

  • Chris B.

    Great food friendly staff, very much worth the wait. Bit of advice though get there fast to beat the line, however it's a sure sign of a good place to eat.

    (4)

  • Jessica N.

    Why does the nightlife in downtown have to shut down so early?! After a night of partying, of course you want to party some more... 230am and everywhere is kicking everyone out. So we're struggling, walking up and down 2nd, 3rd, 4th past Silverado (we were there) to NV (we were there too) and nothing is open... Screw the taco stands, the late night street vendors - Oh how I love thee but it doesn't hit this unknown craving... But for what? 300am, we're ridiculously hungry... Ewww, chain restaurants like Shari's? WAIT, WAIT... Waffles... Pancakes... They have that at Shari's, but it doesn't cut it... Then long and behold the Original Hotcake House! The wait takes forever, we run into the same people that were in Silverado w/ us... We run into guys who continually talk to us (my friend wanted nothing but to punch them in their guts, she was NOT happy)... But forgive us, forgive us for Madonna and BSB on the jukebox. The waffle special... It overrules all, the crispiness I have yet to experience with any other waffle... The sausages, the egg.... DROOL. The wait, what wait? It's 430am... What a night! PTFO at 5am... And we do it all over again.

    (4)

  • Julia Z.

    OMG OMG OMG I have not been able to eat pancakes in a restaurant for over ten years. I am VERY allergic to soy protein and EVERY other breakfast place from Seattle to Portland to everywhere uses standard Sysco pancake mix, which contains soy flour aplenty... that is, unless they brag about using brand-name Krusteaz mix, which actually contains MORE shitty itchy soy flour. I'd given up. I make pancakes at home, but they are just not the same. Sunday, we were supposed to meet friends at Madison's, the gang's Sunday brunch place for over 10 years. The wait was over an hour, and that plan was bagged. Meet us at the Hot Cake House. OK. So we go there. From the outside, it is clearly a trashy dive. The only parking spot left is next to a giant blue jacked-up monster truck, which THRILLED my three year old son; he LOVES monster trucks but has never seen one in person. Until Sunday, capping off a weekend when he also got to ride his first train (MAX from Mt. Hood), his first streetcar, and the "bubble" (OHSU aerial tram). I am skeptical about this place, to say the least. We walk inside. It is a wall-to-wall mob scene. A debate ensues. Decamp to Jack in the Box across the street? Bail and drive around Portland aimlessly (we all live in a Seattle suburb), looking for a place with less of a wait? During this debate, I have been huffing the bacon fumes and have become VERY hungry. We're already in line, I say, screw it, let's wait. Any other place is going to have just as much of a wait, and we're already here, and it's cheap. We get to the grill and watch him cooking food. OMG. The eggs... ONLY shell eggs, none of the crap nearly-fake eggs poured from a carton. This gets my attention; eggs-from-a-carton are one of my pet peeves, and they are the reason I only order eggs that can ONLY be cooked from shell eggs (many places make carton-eggs seem fluffier by adding pancake mix -- remember my soy allergy? It sucks to not even be able to eat scrambled eggs at most places!) Grill guy and I chat about this, and I express admiration. And then I'm watching the waffle-station dude mix up batter from a few real ingredients. As I watch him pour a big carton of real buttermilk and small quantities of other powders into the big bowl of flour, stirring it around, I become incredulous. I ask grill dude, do you guys make pancake batter from SCRATCH? Of course we do, he says, we don't use mixes for anything. We hate additives. If I could have reached across that searing hot grill to kiss him, I might have. I was so excited I almost jumped up and down. I am not known for that sort of display. I ordered a Denver scramble with cheddar and two pancakes. With a large Diet whatever (Pepsi?), it was about $11. That is SO CHEAP. Our favorite place in Bothell, WA, would be almost $15 for the same food, and I can't eat their pancakes because of the soy flour. I pay for all our food, we miraculously find a worn but empty and clean Formica table in the back room, we sip our drinks, and we wait. The food was glorious when it arrived, delivered by a guy in a tie-dye t-shirt and not-quite-matching tie-dye pants who was clearly able to sport those clothes the first time tie-dye was in fashion (and probably was working at the Hot Cake House then, too). He was super-nice and everything was blazing hot when he brought it. We had: - a bacon waffle (a little thin, but much praised) with eggs on the side - two blueberry pancakes (not some gross blueberry-sugar sludge from a can, but gently crushed real fresh blueberries and real whipped cream -- did I mention, OMG?) - the Denver scramble with cheddar (gorgeous with giant hunks of real ham, green peppers, and red onions) and the two pancakes, slathered with big pats of real butter after floating on the grill in luscious bacon grease) - three eggs over easy, hash browns, and a sausage patty as big as a quarter-pounder, but with more and better flavor, with buttered wheat toast on the side - a side of sausage links (nothing fancy, totally standard, but half the price of most places) - coffee - diet soda (one soda refill is free, no worries there) Every bit of food that we had was fantastic. Everything. We spent less than $50 for 5 people, after leaving a generous tip. If this place was any kind of reasonable drive from Bellevue, I'd gain five pounds. As it is, I love you Gina and Michael, but SCREW Madison's! Hot Cake House is not as flash, but the food is So. Much. Better. And it's open 24 hours. We never did figure out which family owned the monster truck, but I was deeply amused to think about how many people I could NOT rule out as the driver of that idiotic behemoth. We will be back.

    (5)

  • Keith N.

    I really miss being able to visit this place regularly, being as I live in Texas and all. I always make it a point to come here when I am in Portland, sadly has been 9 yrs :( :( :( but I have been going here since I first visited PDX way back in 1991 (atleast I think its been there that long). To me it is not a proper visit to Portland without going here and the first morning I am in town, I am having breakfast here. Might not fit to some peoples tastes, in regards to their viewing it as a dump or whatever, but to me thats character. Yeah cleanliness is important for hygienic reasons, but I have never once had anything gross me out about this place, or even make me sick after eating there, and I have probably been there 15-20 times from 1991 until 2005, and there is usually a pretty decent crowd there. I have never once found anything where I am in Texas that even comes remotely close to this place and that to me is sad, as there is nothing better than having breakfast at a short order food joint like this. I'm craving it right now but unfortunately it is 2000 mi too far to easily drive to :( definitely will be there on my next visit

    (5)

  • Brian M.

    Who get's my two hundery Review? It's the Original hotcake house! A special friend took me here and I'm in love! With their Freakin Hot cakes! Yum! The secret of there hot cakes is meringue in the mixture!...and love Also they have awesome Milk shakes, Big ass breakfast omelets, and they serve T-bone stakes that are big as a toilet seat. It reminds me of an east coast dinner. The style, the people that go there, it's a great atmosphere that I dig. If you want good ol' greasy ,huge breakfast at 3 a.m to end a great night out on the town..This would be my choice! oh don't sit down..you order first at the check out, awhile you drool over the griddle watching the cook fry up some eggs, big pieces of meat and a huge pile of hash browns with one look it makes your artery's harden with joy! It's M'nF'in Money right there!

    (5)

  • Julie T.

    I love this place. I love the old school, greasy spoon vibe of this place...oh, and did I mention its' open 24 Hours a DAY?! That's right...when you want to eat a massive, delicious breakfast at 3AM, you know where to go. Watch out you hipster-y, organic-y vegans, this is not your speed. This is food coma material...vintage style, tasty mega breakfasts.

    (4)

  • lucia j.

    - loud heavy metal jukebox - sticky tables, sticky seats - bacon waffles - 24 hours Does anyone even come here for "breakfast?" I will tell you this much, for those of you worried about the hygiene of this dive: the first time I was here the bacon rag was

    (3)

  • Amber L.

    It's a grease pit, but the food is tasty! It's been hit or miss on chicken fried steak gravy, so now I try other stuff on their huge menu. So much to choose from! The service has always been great for me. Depending how busy the place is is how long you wait, but I haven' thad to wait too long. I always go when it's packed at 2am when the clubs start closing. Grubbing on breakfast rocking out to rap/rock/old school whatever that is on the juke box. It's not fancy, but that's what I love about the place. Good food, friendly staff, and trendy.

    (4)

  • Adam O.

    My boyfriend and I came here yesterday because i was craving breakfast food and didn't feel like cooking. I ordered two hotcakes and hashbrowns, not exactly rocket science. My boyfriend's burger and fries came out first and when i finally got my pancakes, they were still completely dripping batter under the entirely overcooked surface. i waited to see someone from the staff for about 5 minutes before someone came out from the back, and as it happened to be the cook, i asked her to redo the pancakes. She giggled at her bad pancakes (wtf) and took them back. TWENTY MINUTES GO BY FOR 2 MEASLY PANCAKES. By the time they finally showed up my boyfriend had completely finished his meal and my hashbrowns were stone cold. Once again the pancakes were warm, drippy batter inside a black shell. Once again I gave them back to the cook who decided to tell me that she thinks this batch of batter has gone bad and that's why the pancakes aren't cooking well. WHY IN GOD'S NAME WOULD YOU TELL A CUSTOMER THAT YOU THINK YOU SERVED THEM BAD BATTER?!?! And even if that were the case, the cook clearly had no idea what she was doing anyway. I got my money back from the manager with no apology whatsoever, he basically dropped my money on the table and scurried away without so much as a word. This place is dirty, poorly managed and staffed by incompetent people. Congratulations on calling yourself the original hotcake house and not even being able to make the title dish.

    (1)

  • Darcy N.

    Meh. I understand it's a diner. A divey diner even. A divey diner on SE Powell even. Meh. And yes, I understand that it's famous in Portland and really is "the original" that started it all. But really people, the food is not good. Maybe I ordered the wrong thing? I had the bacon waffle - which, I know, sounds amazing. I assumed there would be chunks of crispy bacon in my perfectly golden-brown waffle. Instead there was an entire strip - whole - right down the middle. Yeah, that's like a giant strip of fat right down the middle of my thin, flimsy waffle. What a disappointment. What's worst is I could see paying $2 for this waffle, with it's cheap maple flavored corn syrup - but this crap was almost $7. WTF? It might be good for late drunken nights I guess, but it's so seedy that I don't know if I'd want to be there late night...the fake maple syrup is not worth getting robbed or worse. On the upside, I would have given one star, but the staff was nice. And they were playing Offspring.

    (2)

  • Dave K.

    This place has the best bfast food in Portland. It is awesome. Love the setup - wait in line. Get your food. Huge portions. PS - Had to love the hipster 20s guy complaning about his omlette to the poor waitress. Dude, you're in a $9 bfast diner on Powell. This isn't the Ringside. Amazing how dumb some people are.

    (5)

  • Andrew A.

    Cheap, but certainly good. Go for the potato pancakes, which come with sour cream and applesauce. Or try them with a side of sausage gravy for a little more. The pancakes were good, but wish they would mix blueberries/strawberries in the batter, rather than pour compote on top. Lines, oh God, the lines.

    (3)

  • Ron T.

    Wait and queu in a long ass line when you're tired and just about ready to reitre. Seat yourself after getting your order by the counter. That is after 45 minutes of waiting for your order to be taken. It takes another 20 or so minutes to get your greasy order. Nothing special, nothing spectacular. Did eggs tastes like chicken all of a sudden? Did the cows that produced the butter and milk starts working out to produce extra flavorful butter and cheese? I don't think so. The kitchen is busy, therefore it is messy, unkept and filthy atleast. So, if you're nursing a headache and don't care much for whatever grub you can chow down on. I guess this will do and they do have humongous servings of artery blockers. The hotcakes are nothing special either. They taste like.... pancakes. No special syrups to make wonders. Does anyone know the number to KPTV's (local channel 12) Dirty Dining? I guess it looks promising on daytime. I'm a forgiving person, I might try it sometime of the day. But never nights.

    (2)

  • Jen W.

    I'm giving this place four stars because I think they do a great job with the pancakes and I like the no-nonsense atmosphere. You walk up, place your order, and then your food comes out about 10 minutes or so later. No frills and not the usual Portland brunch scene. I wish the bacon was a little less dry and crunchy, but the nearly perfect pancakes made it worth the trip.

    (4)

  • Frank K.

    Grandma's in the kitchen and slap Mama for not bringing me here earlier!! NOW we're talkin' BREAKFAST!!!! Its a bit of a drive for me so I pick my days and early hours, but even getting caught in traffic is worth it for THIS!!! I get the Corned Beef Hash!! Thats right, the "ALPO" type of canned CBH!! The eggs were done JUST as I wanted them and I got the good "Old Fashioned" style of waffles instead of the hotcakes. These are NOT those Damn "Belgian Style" so popular nowadays. You know, the kind you feel like you have to cut 'em with a chainsaw or Jackhammer? I had to sit and watch my waffle get cold on the shelf before the server collar'd them and brought 'em out, but as soon as she followed my request to "Zap 'em til the butter melts.", they were delicious. 'Bout the ONLY thing lacking ,besides parking, was the late delivery of food, but the poor kid was trying as fast as she could... All and all, the place's atmosphere, the quality of the food, AND the fun of watching the cookline makes this place a great stop... Bring the kids so they get the feel of how things USED to be.... Oh yeah... The syrup is "House Made"..... Yassir!!!

    (4)

  • Dylan H.

    I have been there a few different times and am less and less impressed each time. If you are nursing a bad hang over and you need some of that greasy spoon this is a good spot. The food is not great, service... what service? You wait in a line order at the register and then the food comes out. If you have been drinking all night and need something to soak up the 15th drink, or woke up in a strangers bed and just need something to fill the hole left by last nights activities then it's a good spot. Don't have high expectations they won't be meet.

    (2)

  • Barbie D.

    Nastalgia? Is that what makes this place great? The fact they can feed people at 3 am? I was so disgusted at how dirty that kitchen was. I sat in the back corner where we could see that the cooler in the kitchen hadn't been cleaned in probably years. The food gunk under it was obviously not from a day or two. if *I* the customer can see that?? what is not in view?? There is NO food worth risking being sick. I kept thinking what would Robert Irvine say if he walked in here??? I ate the food but I was so worried about how clean everything was and how dirty was the area that they prepared my food on or stored it in. The coolers have fans and blow bacteria all over and it gets in good food. So even if you are good about freshness dates.. filth will ruin that. That place needs a major over haul and some Elbow grease. I won't be back, and not because the food was bad because it really wasn't bad at all but the dirt in the kitchen was so disturbing I won't risk getting sick. it made the best 24 hour diners in the USA.. wow... is cleanliness not an issue? because you can tell it hasn't seen a deep clean in many moons.

    (1)

  • Jim A.

    Remember that Seinfeld episode about the Soup Nazi? Ok, so Original Hotcake House isn't exactly like that, but there are some similarities. You may not get banned for a year, and you can chit chat with the staff... but there is a flow. There are a bunch of signs filled with arrows to ease your confusion and direct you where to go and what to do, but they certainly aren't idiot-proof. Here are some directions that may help you navigate your way through ordering and receiving your food here: 1. Upon entering this dingy run down outdated restaurant, turn left. 2. Walk through the other patrons while examining their plates. 3. You'll pass a digital jukebox on your left. 4. Make a hard right turn in front of the cooks. 5. Look up to read the menu above the cooks. 6. Stop in front of the cash register. 7. Make a 90 degree counter clock wise turn to face the cashier. 8. Order and pay for your slightly over priced food. 9. Collect drinks, flatware and number sign. 10. Find yourself a semi-clean but still sticky table to sit at. 11. Place your number sign in a highly visible area. Soon you'll be eating your food. Eating your "so/so" or "wish you would have gone somewhere else" food. I mean, sure, my mushroom and cheese omelet was bursting full of fresh mushrooms, but who puts cheddar cheese on a mushroom & cheese omelet? I guess that was my bad for assuming it would get something like Swiss cheese on it. And now for their namesake. You would think a place named Original Hotcake House would have some kick ass pancakes. Yea... Not so much. They were dense and chewy. Those are not two attributes I look forward to when eating pancakes. This is one of those places I'm glad I can say I've been to, but I won't return.

    (2)

  • Josh C.

    The service: cold. The food: hot & tasty. I don't come here for award-winning smiles and friendly, outgoing workers. I come here for the food. Hotcakes are out of this world. Hashbrowns are fresh-cut and cooked in butter. Omelets are huge. Coffee is plentiful and I am full. One of the best breakfasts in town. Do the right thing. Give it a go. (Just keep your head down, don't look the workers in the eye, and speak your order clearly.)

    (4)

  • Chad Or Lisa S.

    One word. Grease! I will take a side of hash browns with my grease please. I guess if there were not any other options for 24 hour food, and I was really, really, hungry and too lazy to drive to the 24hr diner/pie house in Tigard, Um I guess I would eat here. If there were no other choices but there are! I would rather go through a drive-thru then to eat here. So why would folks stand in line to eat here? The blueberry pancakes are a fake. They open up blueberry pie filling and dump it on top. that is not how one makes blueberry pancakes. The syrup is watery. The pancakes themselves were not that great. I did like the option of the gyro omelet that is pretty unique. I would probably order that again. If I want really good pancakes I will wait until daylight and go down SW Barbar to the Original. Hotcake house is cheap and the staff are nice. I will say that. so I guess if one is desperate this place is great if you still have your beer goggles on! Been there! Done that! Don't wanna try it again. Nope!

    (2)

  • Beth B.

    Generally I feel that a diner is a diner. They're all pretty good but usually not exceptional. This place, however, sets itself apart in a few ways. I had a Hawaiian burger and sweet potato fries. Any place that serves sweet potato fries is aces as far as I'm concerned and these were good sweet potato fries. The burger was good as well. My only issue was with condiments. The burgers are all served with mayonaise (which is great) and ketchup is on every table, but I didn't see mustard. It may have been available, I didn't ask, but I didn't see any. The folks I was with both ordered breakfasts and the portion sizes were enormous. The hashbrowns were especially plentiful and noteworthy in a couple other ways as well. First of all, butter. The hashbrowns are fried in butter which makes them nice and brown and crispy. Second, they grate them slightly thicker than the average hash brown which also makes for more area of crispiness. The food is good here but I would definitely beware of the portion sizes. Everything is huge.

    (3)

  • Max U.

    The Original Hotcake House is a fantastic place for night owls like myself. I'm not the type to frequent shady bars or night clubs, so when I'm out late I often find myself craving breakfast foods. Luckily for me, the Hotcake House is open 24/7 and serves everything on the menu all day and night. I'll be honest, I tend to be partial to pancakes, as a result I'm always on the lookout for great pancakes places. A big perk of the Original Hotcake House is that it is open 24 hours a day. I would knock it a star if it weren't. The food is good, but nothing I would consider incredible. What makes the food special, though, is the fact that it's so cheap! You can get a meal twice as big as anything at IHOP for the same price, if not less. It's served hot and fresh, straight from the griddle that's wide in front of you as you order. Some cons? Well the parking sucks, flat out. The only actual parking lot is in the front, and it allows maybe 4 cars max. If you're there late, you can park across the street in the bigger parking lot at the mechanic, or on the side of the road. As well, being one of the only 24 hour places this side of the Willamette means it gets pretty busy at night, especially on weekends. Expect long lines, drunk frat guys, and snotty high school kids.

    (4)

  • Aleesha N.

    I'm in love with this place. It's fairly inexpensive with a good variety of breakfast and dinner diner foods served all day everyday since it's open 24/7. Their pancakes are amazing and are so sweet that they really don't need syrup but I'm sure it can only make them better. The omelets are gigantic with a ton of whatever you get stuffed inside. This place is sort of the perfect greasy spoon out there. One slight complaint: Last time my friends and I went, we went on a Friday night at around 7 p.m. or so. There was only one cook on duty that evening so my friends and I had to wait FOREVER for our food. While the wait was worth it, it would have been nice to come in on such a busy night and have the service remain consistent in comparison to other Hotcake House experiences.

    (4)

  • Dannon F.

    (Disclaimer: This is from my experiences from ten or so years ago) I've seen inter-familial lesbians dressed in latex here.... stabbings.... I've dragged drunks out on tot he street here.... fights... domestic battering... drunks spewing... college kids scared shitless... Angry ass Korean kids beating the hell out of angry ass Chinese kids.... I've seen more cop lights here than just about anywhere else in Portland. Hell, for a while there they had their own security guard. Best time to go is around 1:50 AM on Saturday before the bars close so you can get a table with your friends, relax, talk, and watch the freak show! I have a feeling it is just as special as it was then. Or at least I hope so. OH.. and the food is good too. Huge portions. Have fun kiddos and remember these words "its none of my business."

    (5)

  • Jenna R.

    Last night was my first try at a 24 hour pancake house in Portland. Enter: Chef Mel, coworker Albert. Two fantastic guys with friendly, patient attitudes, willing to serve the entire drunken Portland population that come to their 24-hour open arms. And they give you the best effin pancakes I have ever had. It's cooked with love.. that's the only way I can comprehend the absolute deliciousness of the hotcake. Original and fluffy, a tad browned with no taste of burn, perfectly cooked and ready to sponge up some original syrup and make your mouth happy as ever. I got the junior special that came with an egg and ham or bacon.. not one thing I could complain about. I told Mel just how awesome his hotcake was, and not but 10 minutes later did he offer my table a free serving of hash browns (!!!!) Actually freshly peeled potatoes, these hash browns were fantastic. Browned and crispy but still quite potato-ey, just how I like em. The decor isn't anything fancy, and it doesn't matter.. because at the hours of 2-5am, when NOTHING ELSE in Portland is open and you want an effing hotcake to dry up your alcohol-drenched brain, this place gives you what you need. Thank you Mel & Albert. I can't vouch for any other chefs, but you guys made my night even better than I could have imagined.

    (5)

  • Jens J.

    Like somebody else said, the Hot Cake House is what it is. It's Denny's/Shari's food in huge portions. You order it first and then they bring it out to your table. Ohmygod, I can't believe how much bacon they put on my BLT. Well, I guess it was just a BT. The guy that took my order smirked when I ordered the BLT without lettuce.

    (4)

  • Benjamin S.

    This. Will. Change.Your. Life. I have been frequenting this location for over 6 years now and I can proudly say my cardiologist would burn this establishment to the ground if he could ever find the damn place. So, thankfully, it's difficult to find and a wonderful treasure when found. This hot-cake house (3rd best hotcakes on earth I think according to the Food Network) was a traditional late-night stop for my college basketball team back in the day. The hotcakes are legendary. However, the hash-browns are nothing to shun from. You can get a ton of food, and a fat glass of whole milk, for around $10 cold hard cash. Don't miss out on a once in a lifetime opportunity to indulge in a taste of heaven while your still on earth.

    (5)

  • Grant E.

    I apparently arrived after the weekend *I'm-only-eating-here-because-the-bar-closed-and-­nothing-else-is-open* crowd swept through the place (about 4:30 am on a Sunday). It was pretty empty so I was able to order without waiting in line and the food came out quick. The staff were a little whacked out and tired looking, probably from dealing with the drunk masses needing to fill their stomachs to stop an impending hangover. Other than that, the food (Denver omelette and hash browns) was greasy as can be and extremely satisfying with huge portions. You will walk out feeling like you gained 5 lbs, and you probably did.

    (5)

  • Matt R.

    This and The Roxy are THE BEST greasy dives. I have almost always come here for hotcakes and I practically orgasm while devouring them. I actually hate standing in line waiting to order with the cooks within reach, as they stare and drool while flipping that burger. Sorry man, I'm taken. Don't tease me with that burger, either.....I want the hotcakes and bacon!!!!!! Come here at any time of day or night and you will not be disappointed.

    (5)

  • Kenny P.

    Went there for late Supper.... I would not go over the moon for this restaurant. It was just an OK. Normal pancake, normal fish and chips and normal chicken fried steak (not really fond of the gravy though). The place is small but you will fell so America (if you know what i mean) Good place to hang out at night though... not really recommended for party more than 6 people...

    (3)

  • Jess M.

    This is the typical greasy spoon hotcake house, think iHop before they were a chain. Food neither good nor bad, service at a minimum. The one thing I wasn't a fan of was the lack of Wifi. They have a wifi, just not for patrons. They do make a decent pancake, and you can get it 24 hours a day.

    (2)

  • Tim H.

    Met a friend here for the first time today and I was impressed. If you are into finding great food at local dives and don't care about your surroundings then this is the place for you. I ordered biscuits & gravy and it was super good. Fresh soft biscuits covered in homemade sausage gravy. Fresh cut hash browns cooked perfectly. Crispy, yet not burnt. My wife ordered a blueberry pancake and it blew my mind. Not a simple pancake with a few blueberries inside but a huge pancake topped with a fresh made blueberry glazed topping with a generous helping of whip cream. This is an exceptional dive. Don't expect much on the customer service end or the atmosphere, but the food makes up the rest may be lacking.

    (3)

  • Gwendolyn W.

    Best pancakes I've ever had!! Inexpensive and delicious!! Anyone who gave this place a negative rating does not understand the greasy, loud, sometimes debauched world know as the "diner". You can't blame an establishment that is open 24 hours for the drunken-rabble that flood into it at the wee hours of the morning (which means you were probably one of the drunken rabble since you were there at the wee hours of the morning, so duh). Get a grip on reality, grab a fork, and stuff your crabby mouth with some truly delicious pancakes from one of the best all-around greasy-spoons I've ever eaten:) Would've given this place 5 stars except the location is not quite near the main hub of downtown but is the best place to go for nosh near the OMSI:)

    (4)

  • Daniel N.

    Not bad, the whole "order first then sit" system is apparently difficult for some people to comprehend, but I like it. The portions are generous, the prices are okay, but the food is good. I guess that's why people come here, for good food, plus it's open all the time, so when you've got the munchies at 3 in the morning, you've got another option. Kinda wish they'd expand their menu but I'm not complaining!

    (3)

  • Ella W.

    Last night I had a Belgian Waffle for dinner while listening to The Temptations, followed by Quiet Riot. Thank you Original Hotcake House.

    (4)

  • Betsey S.

    I don't know what they put in their hotcakes - whipped cream? Sour cream? Crack? - to make them so fluffy and wonderful, but they are DAYLISHOUSE. I like how you can view the food being cooked at point-blank range while you are waiting to order. This keeps everyone honest - the kitchen has to be kept really clean, the cooks have to keep their fingers out of their noses, and you can't harbor any secret hope that your hashbrowns are somehow healthy because you just saw them being fried in butter. This is no time for health food! You're gonna want the 2 Eggs 2 Cakes like I got. Hangover is no match for 2 Eggs 2 Cakes.

    (4)

  • Rich B.

    It was 3 in the morning, I was slowing falling asleep on my feet and these guys kept me going. The bacon was thick cut and awesome, the strawberry crepes might've been the best I've had in the US, I don't really remember the coffee but I drank a gallon of it. The line was long, it took forever, but it was worth it.

    (4)

  • Peter M.

    Food is great, prices are great and portions are huge! Totally love this breakfast place!!

    (5)

  • Donald C.

    Great place to get good food, any time of the day with friendly staff there, and if your really bored a great place to do some people watching

    (5)

  • Robin S.

    I finally got the chance to try this place. It was for a very late breakfast, I do not do the late night bar thing anymore. I had no idea what to expect. I figured it was going to be a disgusting mess. Well I was wrong. The setup is a little odd. I expected table service but instead you order your pancakes at the counter then move to a table. Totally works... I loved it. I had the Jrs special - one hotcake, one egg, and 1/2 an order of bacon. It was a ton of food. The pancakes are the size of the moon... huge! The bacon was delicious - thick cut and perfectly crisp. My BF had pancakes, eggs, and potatoes. The potatoes were not for me, mushy and not cooked crispy. Overall I had low expectations... this place won me over with hotcakes.

    (4)

  • Barry S.

    Yes, I like. Reasonable prices and big portions. Try the pork chops for breakfast sometime, hmmmm pork chopssssss There are some time honored atrocities on the jukebox, and at night you will see an occasional drunken freak scene play itself out.

    (4)

  • Asso F.

    I don't know what it is about this place but whenever I eat there I feel the urge to go on a diet. Everything has lots of cheese, and grease, and oil, and butter. But it also contains a whole lotta love, and that makes it all better

    (4)

  • January M.

    The other day I was at Pioneer Square listening to some dude (let's call him Reverend Wayne) proselytize about how Satan will appear as an Angel of Light that will tempt you with earthly desires. Then later, in a drunken stupor I rode the number 9 towards home and lo; An Angel of Light appeared on Powell. And it said "1/4 Special Hamburgers" Yes father, I sold my soul for a short stack and 2 sausage patties. Hell, I'd sell YOUR soul for biscuits and gravy.

    (4)

  • Katie S.

    This is one of our favorite breakfast places. The set up is GENIUS. Because they have you wait in line to order (and watch them cook in front of you!) it ensures that there will always be open tables. We were introduced to this place through my boyfriends' uncle who is a huge eater. This man can EAT and this is his all time favorite breakfast joint.

    (5)

  • Chris N.

    The pancake house is open 24hrs/day, come here if you want to get full. Food tastes good and you get HUGE portions. It's mostly a self-serve establishment-you order and they bring you your food, you do the rest. A little more expensive than some breakfast diners, but you pay for the quantity.

    (4)

  • Roni R.

    Let's get real about this place. It's the joint you go to when you're hung over and insanely hungry after a night of drinking or partying. Whatever you get ... make sure you get the pancakes ... something about them .... probably the leftover grease from all that bacon and sausage and eggs and steak and what not ... combined w/the fattening butter that makes it YUM-MY. Hmmm ... so good and hits the spot at 3 am when you're recovering the night out. The place is tacky, service lacks luster, it is dirty and dingy ... but whatever. You know what you're getting and it's damn good hot cakes.

    (4)

  • MJ L.

    The phrase "It is what it is" perfectly suites this greasiest of spoons. Good Pancakes! (mine didn't taste like onions). The line can get out of hand at this all hours, old school griddle. It's OK, relax, put some Zeppelin on the box, and marvel at the dude behind the counter cooking for everyone. I've been a breakfast cook, it's not easy. This guy is good. Be sure to have access to a couch, bed or dry park after this meal. It's a biggin!

    (3)

  • Regina B.

    This place is great when its not busy. Huge portions ftw! Everyone there is super nice. I usually hit this place when its 10pm or maybe around 3am after a night at the clubs. I go there with my hubbby and his guy friends, they always get the burgers and philly steaks. I go for the pancakes, and omelets..

    (5)

  • Kelsi C.

    I went here tonight and there was only 4 of us. My friends said it was deliciously good, but what I ate was not "deliciously good". I ordered a strawberry Waffle with one egg and sausage links. The sausage was okay and not that great. The waffles was very thin and covered in strawberry goop, nothing like fresh jam or anything. And the scrambled egg I got was still runny. Mind you, it took them FOREVER to cook our shit. My friend ordered a burger and the other two just got waffles. Their excuse? "We only have one waffle iron." The cook got my friend's burger wrong and went back to yell at the guy who rang us up and question him if we were being honest. I hate eating my food if everyone else doesn't have theirs. We didn't have a security guard there as other mentioned and we didn't see shit go down, but that would have made my experience a little better.

    (2)

  • Min T.

    It's open 24 hours. You order at the counter. Pricing seems kind of expensive then for this sort of set-up but they do bring your food to you. I ordered the waffle special which featured one waffle, choice of meat and 1 egg for $8.25. The cashier asked me if I wanted a Belgium or a thin waffle. I did not ask what a thin waffle was. Er... The waffle was actually not bad. Nicely crispy. Just don't watch them spray the butter (or non-stick spray) on the waffle iron and pour the viscous batter onto the iron...it looks kind of disgusting. The one egg was really one egg! Hm, I wouldn't say the portion is generous but I really didn't need it as I got sausage and they gave me four links. I liked my sausage best. The music was outdated. It smelled like cleaning products in the dining room. The crowd seemed mostly of single men, teenagers and odd couples. Well, and us. I need to remind you again this is one of the few places open 24 hours. And that is worth the invisible third star.

    (2)

  • Angela B.

    There is no need to shower when you show up at the Hotcake House. Heck, don't even brush your hair (or your teeth for that matter)...just roll out of bed, wear your pajamas, and order up a big ol' greasy plate of eggs and bacon to start your day. This diner is a trip...it reminds me of a truck stop and a cafeteria rolled up into one random dining experience. It's open 24 hours, so you will see all kinds of people no matter what time of day. And bring your Tums, because you'll be belching up those greasy eggs for the rest of the day.

    (2)

  • Dave R.

    What can I say.... It's a hole in the wall place that has very good food all the time... The hotcakes are big and taste great and the hashbrowns are to die for, In fact eat them too much you may from all the grease but what the heck they are good. People watching is half of what this place is about all types. So if you want some good old diner type food and don't mind the the music and the wait that can happen for your food if they are real busy then this is still one of the best around.

    (4)

  • Lily L.

    Nothing beats the 24 hour Hotcake House for early morning breakfast after partying all night. You walk in, order your food, then sit & wait for omelet goodness (or pancake goodness)! During my 1st visit there, my friends & I were amazed at how much food you receive. I've never been able to clear my plate! I get so full! I recommend this place as an after hours food stop.

    (4)

  • Hollye H.

    This place is awesome. Total grease. Total yum.

    (5)

  • Joy T.

    I brought my husband to this place after raving about their food. They had a mistake, and our order was lost and we waited a long time for our food. We said something and they realized the problem. They were quick with an apology and they refunded our money, and still brought our delicious food... I am pleased with the fact that they take customer satisfaction over a measly $20 for our food! They are a great place and we will continue to come back!

    (5)

  • Chad H.

    I love this place; it's good good loving by the end of the night. I've never eaten here in the day time, mainly because I heard they have cockroaches. I've never seen any, but judging by its looks I can see how they do. There is no service, you order at the line, they give you a number, than you sit and wait. the good part is that they bring your food as soon as it is up, unlike Denny's will do. This is a place you go to after the bars are kicking you out. The pancakes are amazing! I recommend this to anyone. It's definitely a favorite when I am in my can't see straight drunken state of mind.

    (3)

  • Sarah M.

    Hit the Hotcake house Saturday around 1am. Hadn't been there in 2 years. It was more run down than I remembered. Ended up waiting over 30 minutes for our food and the french toast I ordered was terrible. I remember the food being better. The staff is unfriendly too. I don't mind a greasy dive restaurant as long as the food is good and the service is nice. Not good enough. Won't be back there again.

    (2)

  • Ammy D.

    Do you like greasy spoon food? Do you like to order something that's made with no care to your health, where the only concern is the flavour? Do you really not care if your table is level, clean, or prone to staying in one place as you eat? Do you like REALLY GOOD pancakes? I mean, really good. This place is for you. Service - not so good. Cleanliness.. also not so good. Table quality.. not so stable. Price.. just right. Coffee... good enough. Food... greasy, fatty, salty, tasty tasty tasty tasty goooood.

    (4)

  • A. B. C.

    well, this might be one of the greasiest spoons i've ever had the delight of patronizing. it's a very plain restaurant, with absolutely no pretense: undecorated walls, lots of plain wooden booths and an open kitchen (and by kitchen i mean one long grill) and a fridge behind it with clear doors- so you could see that the strawberries and blueberries for the hotcakes were not fresh, but in some thick sweet syrup... we ordered menu items a la carte, i got a blueberry hotcake (which was more like a hotcake with blueberries on top, with whip of course), an order of hashbrowns (because when do i not...?) and an order of crispy bacon. they totally delivered. my bacon was crispy like i asked for, the hashbrowns were well browned, and the pancake was damn good- kind of chewy but not at all doughy. as for the patrons, well my friends noticed this: p.b.- "well this place seems to attract two kinds of people, red necks and little indie hipster kids" me - "you mean us?" jelly- "well yeah but also there's a group sitting around the corner" me - "and what do we have in common? a love for delicious hotcakes at any hour of the day!" p.b.- "...and beards..."

    (3)

  • J B.

    Holy smokes! If I could give this place zero stars, I would. This was, by far, the most disgusting breakfast I have ever had. Undercooked bacon and the blueberry pancakes that I orderd had this purple, gelatinous glaze poured over them that reminded me of watered down grape jelly AND no blueberries. I couldn't eat it, and I didn't dare return it to "Toothless Jim" behind the counter. Not kidding - the worst. If you want a whole mess of crappy food then this is your place, and the place is downright dirty to boot. No way you will find me within a block of this place ever again.

    (1)

  • EJ M.

    I came here in search of french toast, but I ended up ordering biscuits and gravy instead because that also sounded good. And they WERE good! Fluffy, buttery biscuits and rich gravy with chunks of sausage in it! They gave me way more than I could possibly eat in one sitting, though.

    (4)

  • Matt F.

    This is your a-typical grease house. If you're into that, then this will be your second (maybe first) home. I got the Greek Omelette and I must admit, it was rich and actually tasted like a Greek Gryo. I'd probably stick with the more standard breakfast items though if you want a true experience. My family and I go once in awhile, and my dad always gets the pancakes. They're amazing. It's 24 hours and would be a great option if not for the slightly sketch area of town past midnight. -1 star because parking is a pain (more of Portland's fault then theirs perhaps?) and because the drink price was a little overkill.

    (4)

  • Abe I.

    It's 3 am and you are 1) hungry, 2) in need of some entertainment. You have no better place to go. Greasy and cheap, you can fill up on pancakes and hash browns, and watch all the other freaks, party-ers, and insomniacs, and have great stories to match your hangover the next morning. It it isn't obvious, you should not go here before midnight, and preferably with some booze in you, as this isn't sober eating. Also, no sissies.

    (4)

  • Elizabeth E.

    As most of the other reviewers have mentioned: this place gets 4 stars only after midnight, and preferably after a few drinks. The real draw is not the food or the coffee, but the crowd--strange, creepy, amusing, outrageous, diverse and downright entertaining no matter who shows up. For some perverse reason, I also love the hashbrowns: you get a HUGE plate for a few dollars.

    (4)

  • Lindsey M.

    Great place to go when you got the munchies after all the bars are closed. HUGE portions. Yummy pancakes and hashbrowns. Definately not for the health conscious! Beats Sharis or any other 24hr diner anyday!

    (4)

  • Amado L.

    So what if the scruffy men behind the grill are ex-cons? They still make the best damn omelets ever. And the flapjacks? They are heavenly in a fluffy kind of way. Don't even get me started on the hashbrowns... Good golly, Miss Molly, are they tasty! Of course, at three in the morning while sloshed out of your mind, Doritos may be gourmet.

    (3)

  • jim t.

    I feel dirty and wrong going here (not unlike my visit(s) to Hawthorne Strip). However, unlike my trips to the Strip, O.H.H. put the OHH in 'OHH. My. God. These pancakes are freakishly sublime!' And I go there stone cold sober in the light of day!! How's THAT for a reference?!

    (4)

  • Darla W.

    Horrible! Layers and layers of grease everywhere - looks like they haven't cleaned in a decade! To top it off, my husband and I both found thick black Hispanic hairs in our meals. Disgusting!!! I'll never visit this greasepit again!

    (1)

  • ad s.

    Yes, I live close by. Yes, I have been here at 3 am drinking thin coffee after a night of beers. But I have also been here at respectable hours, morning, afternoon and night. And it always satisfies. The omelets are huge and filled with tons of goodies. The pancakes are squishy and delicious, the burgers are straight, the hashbrowns are thick-cut, the biscuits are huge and the gravy is tastey. Super greasy spoon, old school. My semitruck-driving parents love to go here when they're in town, as does my brother when he comes to the 'states for a good ole' american breakfast. They make gigantic shakes and serve it with the blender canister. The coffee is thin and they serve fake syrup, but god, I love this place. Expect to wait a bit if you show up post-pub on the weekends.

    (4)

  • Steve B.

    I was directed to The Original Hotcake House by a Portland native. She suggested I go because its one of the best places in town for 2am breakfasts, and for what she said would be an experience. I walked into a dark, dirty looking dining area and felt like I was at home. The set-up reminded me of many-a diner and eaterie in small towns throughout the Mid-West. Good food, large portions, and an eclectic group of patrons make this place not only cool, but AMAZING. On top of the great food (great for diner food, that is) the cheap prices for the amount of food is great!

    (5)

  • Sam Y.

    rib eye steak and eggs. nuff said.

    (5)

  • Ken N.

    I feel bad. This place is kind of a Portland classic. But the food is not that good. The service isn't good. One time I ordered hashbrowns and they brought me small bowl of stinky mushrooms. I've been yeld at by the lichen staff for sitting down before ordering. Over all not slot of happy memories here. It is open 24 hours. That's a plus. And there pancakes are good. But if your eating breakfast at the normal time go someplace else in the area. There are 3 breakfast spots in the area that range from good to great. Great being the Berlin Inn and good being Sanbournes.

    (2)

  • Carissa W.

    When it's 3am, and all you want in the whole world is a pancake, a coffee, and maybe some hash browns, this is the place. It's greasy, it's sketchy, and it doesn't look too clean, but somehow it holds a place in my heart. Maybe it's those late nights before I was 21, when we needed somewhere to go and a big group of us piled into a booth for an hour or two. The place is trashy, no doubt about that, and although I've never felt threatened, they have a rent-a-cop on duty at all times. Lest anyone decide to pull a heist and make off with three squirt bottles of ketchup, he paces constantly. Rumor has it that they used to charge $1 entrance to prevent homeless people from just coming in and getting a cup of coffee as an excuse to hang out for hours, though now it's just the ever watchful security guard and a lot of underage kids.

    (3)

  • K D.

    One time I was at the Hot Cake House with some folks and I put some money in the jukebox and picked TLC "Waterfalls" eleven times in a row. The Hot Cake Hausfrau turned off the jukebox after the third repetition of the song. I guess she didn't like TLC. The food was plentiful and greasy though, even if the pancakes tasted like onions. Who cares at 3 a.m.? Seriously. Who CARES at 3 a.m.? It's like getting a free bonus flavor.

    (4)

  • Krystal O.

    While you can watch the cooks in action, you'd think they'd go a little further to make sure they stick to food handler's guidelines. I was a hoping to have some bacon and scrambled eggs BUT I could not bring myself to after I saw the cook using the same cup that he no doubt had been using all morning, evident by the dry eggs all over the cup, to make scrambled eggs, and then flip some fresh cooked bacon into a dirty towel to drain the grease made me think twice. The food I did get was good, the hotcakes and hash browns, the orange juice tasted like Flintstones vitamins! I would say that this place is no better than dennys or ihop, except that in those restaurants you don't have to wait in line forever to put in your order

    (3)

  • Fabian m.

    Only the best pancakes I've ever experienced. Let me first start off by saying I have been here too many times both sober and drunk. There are aspects of the place that I don't enjoy, the service sucks, the servers can be rude and the place is a dive but man is the food GOOD! I'm always willing to look beyond the service for what comes on the plate. I've watched as the cooks prepare homemade egg white pancake batter and add fresh potatoes to the grill. You can simply taste the grease but it's never tasted better than here.

    (4)

  • bridget n.

    if you are a fan of hotcakes, this place is for you. the portions are HUGE and its pretty cheap. its perfectly buttery and the intital bite is almost orgasmic. the only decoration here is the jukebox that they have so if you are big on ambiance, this place is not for you. it is open 24 hours so you can get your 'breakfast' at lunch or dinner also. i don't dare come on weekends anymore; the line is out the door.

    (5)

  • Dani P.

    Good God... where do I start with this place. Back when I was in high school we used to go here late at night, after partying. When you're that young you don't mind crappy food and sub-par service. You don't mind it because you're a teen and that's just the way it works in "teen-land." My point being, this place is alright if your a kid, but not a place anyone over 20 would want to hang out at. If you ever find yourself in the sad situation of being here you'll see what I mean, "youngins" and wanna-be-thugs line the place. The food comes one of two ways either way overdone or way underdone. I mean come on people how hard is it to make eggs and toast? The service is worse than the food. It's like Night of the Living Dead meets "that smelly uncle that makes the really bad jokes that everyone hates." For real. My friend told me that she was there recently and, while waiting in line, another patron hassled her. When she and others around her stood up for her, a manager told her and the others to leave. Ruuude and very unprofessional, but that's just what you should expect from a place like this. This place should be called the Original Crapcake House.

    (2)

  • Ian W.

    You'll probably never have an amazing meal here. But it's open 24 hours and the food is what you would expect. And you'll probably meet some pretty interesting people. Good all night diner, greasy ass food, crumby juke box. It's the perfect late-late night dive.

    (4)

  • Scott K.

    I've gone to the Hotcake House for years and it never fails me. As a young lad, it was *the* place to go after the bars closed and you needed to pad your belly so as to avoid a hangover. The bummer is that the late night formula that ensues (lots of drunk people, long lines and waits) usually devolves into some kind of trouble but then again, that's part of the flavor of the place. They finally added some more help staff so wait times are much better. The food is stupidly good and I can honestly say this is possibly the best place for bacon in Portland (if you know me, you know I don't say that lightly). I love to show visitors to Portland this place if we stay out late at night and its always a great time and meal.

    (4)

  • Krista T.

    I can't say I'd patronize this place in the light of day, but after a few drinks and midnight (when there's a security guard at the door and a 1$ cover) its totally tolerable - and hilarious. Open 24 hours with an extensive breakfast menu, they apparently also serve steaks and burgers. I recommend a big ol stack a hot cakes - just what they're famous for.

    (4)

  • Jimmy D.

    If this restaurant was a sport it would be nascar - very fast and very greasy. But thats what I came here looking for. And I'm not kidding - as you stand in line to order you can watch the bed headed cooks spoon huge spoons of grease on the grill. The coffee is the worst in the entire world, but the pancakes are to die for. The name says it all.

    (4)

  • Chowderhead C.

    Not a better pancake anywhere that I have found. This place is pancake, omelete, and hashbrown heaven.

    (5)

  • David M.

    If you are not a 20 something don't show up to this place after a night out. The miniature security cop tried to beat me with the chip on his shoulder. Our group of grown men missed the unwritten list of rules and were berated by the rent a cop (Good Times). I guess they are so used to drunk obnoxious people they didn't know how to politely talk to someone. My experience was surreal. It gets two stars because during the morning on a weekday, it was exactly what you would expect.

    (2)

  • Dawn R.

    Looking for a down to earth place to get a straightforward breakfast, and maybe a giant milkshake, too? Look no further! I came here with my friend and his two kids and everyone was happy. I enjoyed the corned beef, my friend's daughter shared some great french fries with me, though his son was a bit overwhelmed by his massive hotcake. But overall a good down to earth breakfast place.

    (4)

  • Sean B.

    30+ years of loving this place, hotcakes all the way!

    (5)

  • chelley L.

    the food here is all fat and grease topped with more fat and a little more grease, so dont come here if your on a diet... the gardenburger is probably greasy too. but i guess since half the people eating here is hungover or drunk they really can't tell right? i also developed a bad case of cotton-mouth because of all the sodium our food was drenched in. for a place thats called "hotcake house" i figured the hotcakes would be at least decent. well if you like to eat rubber and have one hotcake to be half burnt this is your place. maybe i came on an off night... or not drunk enough... everyone's post says to come here at 4am for a great time. i was 3 hours too early. darn.

    (3)

  • Thu N.

    Best, best, best EVER! I went to college in Portland, and out of all the late-night places my friends and I have scoped, this one has got to be my favorite - good food, loose atmosphere, and non-chain! I do believe this is the only location, and ever since moving home to California, I've really missed coming here. This is NOT the place to go if you're looking for "fine dining." This is the place to go if you want huge helpings of hash browns (Oh no! I alliterated!) to accompany a last-minute cram session for finals or a hangover (or both). I recommend the omelettes!

    (5)

  • Laura Q.

    Tried this place on sunday. Wow great pancakes and great homefries. Kind wait staff. a must try for all

    (4)

  • Brenna S.

    The 24 Hour Hotcake House is just exactly that. A truck stop atmosphere with old diner booths and tables, greasy line cooks, and a surly staff, it is indeed open 24 hours to serve you greasy breakfasts, giant hamburgers, and lots of other fried goods. This place is best visited at 4am for a true Portland experience.

    (3)

  • Kelly M.

    One of the few 24 hour eateries in Portland city limits, Original Hotcake House is a greasy spoon on Powell which serves up flapjacks at all hours of the day. Because of its schedule, the Hotcake House attracts a predictably bizarre crowd, and the restauranteurs appear a little defensive of the late night crowd. They charge a cover fee to deter the loitering masses. That said, the Hotcake House is what it is--late night pancakes when nothing else is open.

    (4)

  • Janet W.

    What is all the fuss about? This is the most interesting place to be between 2:00 - 6:00 a.m. in Portland. Especially after a Red Hot Chili Peppers concert, a few laps in the hotel pool and realizing that there is NOTHING open at this hour. Even Denney's is closed. What a treat. I had the pleasant company of a native who accompanied me to the concert from the lovely hamlet of Wolf Creek, OR. Good, HUGE portions. Great hashbrowns, decent coffee and great people watching. Friendly staff and friendly customers. I'll be back.

    (3)

  • A B.

    Of course the food is going to be greasy. They're catering to the NORMAL folk who want to come in at any time of the day, in all states of mind, who really don't care about what they food as long as it's good and satisfying. The several times I went in were after a night of clubbing. But can you blame me, and anyone else for that matter, when I want some good, downhome, unhealthfully conscious food, after I haven't cared about what kind of alcohol I've put in my system the entire night? Come on now. They have security out front during the late hours for a reason. I love the place.

    (5)

  • Nancy L.

    This place keeps my kind of hours! Good food and tons of choices.

    (4)

  • Esther H.

    God this place is scary. Don't go, and especially don't go at 4 am after drinking rum all night, when the clientele (including yourself) will inevitably be acting both puzzling and frightening, and the food will make you want to vomit.

    (1)

  • Keith M.

    For a fatty like myself, this place is heaven. It's hard not to order a mountain of food. The pancakes are excellent as are the waffles. It's a loud but friendly atmosphere but the staff isn't very personable. It can get pretty crowded and it's self seating, so it's not the greatest place to just kick back with friends, but you can go down the street to the Fireside for that.

    (4)

  • Brandi M.

    I gotta say that based on how the place looks from the outside, it looked like it could go either way. But this is a true greasy-spoon find. The pancakes are ***** (5-star), the Denver omelette rocked and the coffee was decent. I'm not saying that it's brunch at Beast, but it is a fantastic breakfast without any pretension.

    (3)

  • Glenda S.

    Unfortunately, this place attracts a lot of young questionable customers that I don't think come out from under their rocks until night. We won't ever go back after being away for a good four years. We always get the older female that OVERCOOKS everything! I dislike overcooked hashbrowns, bacon and french fries as they leave a bad taste in your mouth and I want to enjoy my food. The males that work during the daylight hours do a pretty good job as I could really tell the difference between their cooking and the overcooked garbage in the evening. Waste of hard earned money if the food is bad tasting from overcooking. We watched a non too clean young male open the top of the water jug and put his whole arm in it to get ice in two glasses which was a real turn off. Once the food is cooked it sits right in front of grill on a counter where the public is standing waiting in line. There is NO barrier or glass sneeze anything to protect a customers cooked food, that is really disgusting. People sneeze, loose hair and who knows what else can contaminate your cooked food while the kid that takes the orders and money is busy chatting it up with the cook. I also NEVER do salad bars since watching so many people do icky things there. Restaurants NEVER say anything when a customer does not use proper steps using them. Saw one customer go under the sneeze guard to get something from the other side??? Too lazy to walk around to get it like a human! Portland has a terrible record on ever closing or putting up warning signs to let folks know if the STATE FOOD INSPECTOR ever saw the cooked food setting out with NO protection from public standing right by it! The young don't know what good food should taste like and will accept badly cooked food and give a thumbs up review?

    (1)

  • heidi p.

    i miss the hotcake house! when i lived in portland i used to come here all the time with friends after the bars closed...yes i ate there as well sober if you are wondering...both ways the food was delicious!!! i need to head back up for a visit and some delicious pancakes and bacon. my favorite!

    (4)

  • mark s.

    understand the hotcake house is closed. poop.

    (5)

  • Len S.

    Do you hear that sound? That's your arteries clogging at the rate of a mile of vein a minute! Yeah you heard me, artery clogging but OMG I can't quite get enough. I suppose one way to look at this joint is that its the progenitor of Mel's Drive In, or better yet, this is what Mel's would like to be but somewhere along the line they fell down and went boom... I'm so happy we don't have one of these in SF as I'd probably live there. Everything is great, everything is huge, I've been here sober and it holds up well. You know a joint like this appeals to the pallet you whip out when you can't taste the difference between the sidewalk or the random girl you were kissing outside a bar you can't remember where it was or the shoe leather of your best friend who is trying to kick you out of his car and onto your own lawn. That's the kind of pallet you have when you go here and after you eat you think to yourself "wow, that short order cook who looks like he was an extra on the x-files just saved my life." Then you come back the next day and think to yourself "wow, I may turn into an extra on the x-files if I keep eating this but gawd damn, more cakes!" So yeah, pretty damn great...

    (3)

  • Eliot J.

    The biggest perk of this diner is that it's 24 hours. The biggest draw back is that the food is just mediocre. I'm a big fan of divey-style restaurants, so I figured I would give it a go. The food portions are huge, and the prices fair. I would recommend not visiting during the wee hours of the morning as it is packed with Portland drunkards. I also expected the pancakes to be phenomenal... I mean, after all it is named The Original Hotcake House. However, the hotcakes were nothing I couldn't have gotten at an Ihop.

    (2)

  • Andi S.

    I recently started running in a bid to trim the fat off this thirtysome-year-old body. I also recently visited The Original Hotcake House for the first time last weekend. If the glass is half-full, I would say, "hey, it's a good thing I started exercising, now I can eat with less guilt!" If the glass is half-empty, I'd say, "Arrgh damn you giant pancakes and glorious chicken fried steak for ruining my attempts at fitness!" Either way, the fact remains that The Original Hotcake House is a fantastic place to consume piles of protein and carbs at any hour of any day. There is no ambiance here, just some booths in an old building surrounding a hot griddle that's frying up all sorts of big-breakfast goodness. The journey from front door to the ordering counter takes you past the sizzling griddle manned by a couple of cooks who are continuously shoveling piles of hash browns, flipping pie plate-sized pancakes, crafting overstuffed omelettes, and slathering homemade biscuits with ladles of gravy. All this is done in front of your eyes as if to say "you don't need to look at the menu, just take one of each!" So yes, this is one of those "giant plates of stuff all fried up" breakfast places. But it's a dang good one. There's nothing here that your arteries or doctor will endorse, but I got the feeling that many of the items weren't just pulled out of some freezer and tossed into the deep fryer. The owners take pride in their: -Hotcakes: special recipe, lightly sweet and buttery, huge and thick, but not bready. Cooked to a perfect point where batter just transforms into cake. Topped with a homemade natural maple syrup, very "watery" and not artificially viscous. -Bacon: the thicker cut, nice balance of meat and fat. strips are cooked and even seared with an iron press on the griddle. it comes out thick and chewy. I actually prefer my bacon thinner and crispier (think Five Guys). but I can tell this is good stuff. -Chicken Fried Fteak: lightly breaded, not a sponge of grease, not KFC-crispy. the pounded ground steak comes apart with your fork, and is escorted to your gut with a thick, flavorful gravy. -Hash Browns: shredded fresh, fluffy and crispy, not overly salty or buttery. Taste: great Quantity: Huge Price: um, so-so. count on paying about $10-$12 per person, but you do get a massive pile of food that's enough for an encore breakfast at home the next day. I'm going back. Just need to run a couple (dozen) miles to compensate first.

    (4)

  • Todd K.

    This place has been around forever, and has the best hotcakes I've ever eaten, but unfortunately, that doesn't make up for the bad points. The only comfortable time to eat here is around 10 AM to early afternoon hours, otherwise, it's just too damned busy and too small a place. I've been eating here off and on since the 80's, only seen it refurbished once, and never a thought to making it into a bigger building, which it needs, badly. Back in those 80's times, I loved everything, as I was a teenager, but now, the only reason I'd come back is the hotcakes, everything else is greasy and not anything I couldn't make myself at home. If I could just figure out their hotcake recipe, I wouldn't come back at all; the staff is rude, and always has been. And other reviewers are right in saying they should hire someone extra for clean-up, I hate sitting down at a table with grease/bread crumbs. :^(

    (2)

  • Joshua M.

    We arrived around 10pm on a Tuesday evening and while not packed, the place was fairly busy. I have to admit, I walked in a little skeptical, as I was expecting the food to be at or below Waffle House standards. I was pleasantly surprised when it greatly surpassed my expectations. First off it's a hole in the wall 24 hour breakfast joint. Don't expect any sort of ambiance. When we arrived there were tables that hadn't been bussed and the dining room stayed that way for the rest of the night. Luckily there were a few open tables. This is one of a few sitdown places I've come across that make you order at a counter before finding a seat. I really do not like that process alone if a place is so busy that you might potentially be left standing, but this tonight it was fine. The advantage of course was that you can just leave after you are done without waiting for a check, and while they do have a tip jar up at the counter I doubt anyone is tipping 20%. I suppose that sounds cheap to say, but hey we are allowed to save a little money sometimes. What cost this place a star in my book was the excessive wait. With only one cook it was well over 30 minutes before we got our food, and that's a long time for breakfast. Food was good though when it did come, robust and fluffy pancakes, burnt to nuclear leather bacon (how I like it), and crunchy-crisp hashbrowns. The cook literally put over 7 pats of butter on the top of my pancakes which I immediately removed, but other than that foodwise it is solid. It's obviously not a fancy breakfast place, but for the basics I'd go again. Side note: as you are in line waiting to place your order you watch the cook prepare the food, and I must say the non-breakfast food items did not look appetizing to me. Just a personal aside... I'm sure if you are wanting to eat a 7.95 steak you aren't going to be as picky as I am.

    (4)

  • Reed R.

    I tried this place after having lived in Portland for over three years. It was so good that i ate here four times in the first month trying everything from their pancakes, to their gyro omelet to their philly cheesesteak sandwich. I'll tell you right now that nothing disappointed. Everything was so tasty, and I must say that their pancakes are quite epic, being soft, fluffy, and huge... oh yeah, and frakkin' tasty as hell! The price is right, and if you can time it so that you can get a table (its open 24 hours, so anytime you think it'll be busy, it will be) then you will have one of your most favorite meals of the week! I just wish that this was in my neighborhood... well, maybe i don't, because I don't have a membership to any gyms.

    (5)

  • niko k.

    I love this place. Used to go here a few times a month when I lived in Portland. great breakfasts, day or night. at 6am before a hard day of work or after a hard night of partying. huge omelets and huge pancake stacks. sometimes there's a bit of wait, but who cares, i'd rather wait a bit than go to a place like ihop or dennys and get a sloppy breakfast. and for all the people bitching about hipsters, dude you live in portland, get used to it, otherwise move to Salem. these things dont make a difference on the food.

    (4)

  • Keith B.

    Anyone who gives this place more than 3 stars must be completely hammered, with dulled taste buds and any sense of hygiene tossed right out the window. Although the juke box is great!! Unfortunately for us there is a major lack of any restaurant open after 2. My suggestion is pour yourself a bowl of cereal, make some toast just eat at home. Your stomach will thank me.

    (1)

  • David D.

    If the bright colors that plaster the outside of this place hasn't lured you in yet, you better check it out fast. It's well worth it. I've probably driven by this place hundreds of time thinking to myself how good can this colorful joint be? I was down for some breakfast for dinner or as my buddies and I call it, B for D, so I solicited the help of other Yelpers on the chat board and a few guys recommended this place. This place is your typical greasy spoon diner, it brought back some good memories of the old diners I used to frequent in Seattle and Pullman after a late night of drinking. Anyways, I ordered an omelet, and I must say it was one of the best I've had in town. The eggs were nice a thin and marbled with egg white. The quality of their omelets rivals that of Beth's Cafe and The Hurricane cafe -- both places are home of the 12 egg omelet! And the pancakes were surprisingly good too. I wonder if they would whip up a 12 egg omelet at 2am??

    (4)

  • Lisa M.

    The portions are huge, the food is tasty, and the prices are really reasonable, especially considering one plate usually makes for 2-3 meals. My only "complaint" would be the wait to get a table. I also didn't get the impression that the tables were wiped down very frequently, which I imagine would be difficult considering the lack of space and the amount of people that were crammed in there. Still, I'd go back for the pancakes!

    (4)

  • Vic V.

    Tasty breakfasts make up for the sometimes rude service. You'll be kicked out too if you stay too long without ordering more food. You may even pay a cover after 10 pm. It's all part of the ghetto experience that make for great stories later. Pancakes and omlets are the best. So what's your favorite Hot Cake House story?

    (4)

  • Bryan A.

    I'm a huge fan of diner food and this place hit the spot. The plates were huge, couldn't even come close to finishing my food. Small, and no taking a seat before you order, but other than that it was worth the bus trip over.

    (4)

  • CaLiLu H.

    After a very late night out, my friends and I decided to enjoy a hearty meal before heading home to crash for the night. Having noticed the Original Hotcake House after many concerts at the Alladin Theater, we decided to check it out. Much to our surprise, it was still packed at 2am! However, I appreciated the long line because it gave me the chance to decide on what I wanted to order. The big open kitchen was entertainment in itself and allowed us to see the ingredients that went into these creations. Beware those people on diets!! The huge chunks of butter and cream are going to tempt you like no other! I had the Jr. Breakfast which included, bacon, sausage, egg and hotcake. I also ordered the hashbrowns on the side. The hotcake was huge and the sausage was good. My bacon was a little burnt but the buttery hashbrowns were decent. My friends split the chicken fried steak which came with the choice of hash or hotcake, 2 eggs, and choice of carbs (they got the buttery biscuits). The chicken fried steak was tender and flavorful but the gravy was a bit on the thick and lumpy side. But at only $8.95 it was a deal for the huge portion! My thoughts on breakfast are that you can't really mess it up, and the food at OHH is just solid food. It also makes a pretty interesting people watching experience...in just one sitting we saw not only 2 couples getting kicked out because they had very verbal fights while in line, but I don't think you could get a more eclectic crowd in one place!

    (4)

  • Shawna N.

    I have only been here like 3 times. Last time I was a bit intoxicated, but I still needed to eat some greasy food to settle my stomach. I ordered the biscuits and gravy special. It came with bacon and eggs. I got my eggs scrambled. Um, GROSS. I am an eater, but I could not eat this. The bacon was all limp, the eggs were like rubber and the gravy looked like puke. I almost puked in the parking lot after leaving a whole plate of food. I felt bad, but I just couldn't do it! I don't think I will be back. I will probably go elsewhere next time.

    (1)

  • Heather E.

    I really really tried to like this place because its open 24 hours and clearly is a Portland spot, but the food is ok not good not bad and it definitely could be cheaper. If the prices were a little lower or the food got better then it would get another star.

    (2)

  • Dan K.

    For some reason unknown to me, I am drawn to this type of place - you know, the greasy spoon diner. It just feels fun and comfortable. The food is your typical greasy spoon fare, but it's damn good greasy spoon fare. Every time I come here I feel like I've gained five pounds after leaving, and for good reason too - they give you a lot of food. The prices are reasonable, the food tasty, and the atmosphere fun. What's not to like? Oh, and if you really want to experience this place, go at 3 am on a weekend. I did, and the place was packed. There were people dancing to the jukebox and everything.

    (4)

  • Sydel s.

    Watching them cook the food, so adds to the experience. and so does the jukebox. the chicken fried steak was enough for my boyfriend and i. the half order or biscuits and gravy was like 2 of a regular order. the pancakes were flavorful all on their own (coming from a butter on everything is better lover) and the gravy. don't get me started on the gravy. next time, i am just getting some in a cup with a straw. yeah, that yummy. and super reasonable prices for the lunch and dinner you may or may not be able to eat after this.

    (5)

  • Samantha S.

    This is not a hipster hangout. This is not a business person hangout. This is not a trendy hangout. This is a place where real people go to eat decent grub at all hours of the day and night. The tables have on them these little laminated fliers about the restaurant. My hubby and I spend time lol-ing at them while waiting for our food - "Our proprietary recipe (that means secret) for our pancakes..." which can be found somewhere on line. They have a strange set up of tables, and getting to the counter to order always reminds me of standing in a winding line at a bank. Veg options are mixed in to the menu, but I can always find something tasty. The pancakes are some of the best I've ever had ever. There's just something about diner pancakes... and these are good. I love their mushroom and cheese omelet, with pancakes. It's way more food than I can eat in a sitting, so I never have to worry about going hungry. I'm pretty sure there's a blend of animal oils that inadvertently get smeared all over my otherwise meat-free meal, but when I'm at Hotcake house, I generally don't care. They loose a star on service, though - the friendliness factor is pretty low - most of the people behind the counter look like they could be working in a factory, with the amount of enthusiasm in their faces. It just doesn't seem like it's a happy place, overall - the plates, hardcore heavy duty ones, look like they've seen better days; the tables are chipped, and feel very truck-stop-diner-y, and the jukebox inevitably plays Meatloaf's "I Would Do Anything For Love" at some point over the course of our meal.

    (4)

  • John K.

    The atmosphere here is great. It's open 24 hours which is always nice, but the food has seriously gone down hill. I love a good greasy diner, but this one suffers from a severe under-salting problem. I'm writing this hoping that someone there reads this and fixes it.

    (2)

  • Jacob G.

    Went here after some partying. We stood in line for a long time, and all the people around us eating their food was so hard. I almost grabbed some guy's pancakes but didn't want to get beaten. After ordering, we got a table right away and waited. And waited. I mean, it was 1 AM and the place was packed, and the grill isn't very large. When the food finally came 30 minutes later, it wasn't that great. I wasn't expecting amazing food or anything; besides, the only other place open nearby was freakin' Jack in the Box. But still, big pancakes and eggs were good enough to soak up the mess that was our alcohol-filled bodies. I doubt I'd go here sober.

    (2)

  • Linda J.

    I went here once (that was one time too many). Good thing my friend gave me a piggy-back ride part of the way there, because that was the highlight of my dining experience. Keep in mind that I come from the East Coast. Land of Waffle Houses and R. Thomas. So I know what good, late night food should taste like. I KNOW about pancakes and grits and all that's good in the world. This place does not come close. My friends kept telling me how great it was gonna be... Myeah, not so good, Al. We waited in line for about an hour (probably more, honestly) and I ordered a what they call a pancake (which I took one bite of and fought to keep that mess down) and it was disgusting and undercooked. No amount of butter, syrup, or magic was gonna make that thing taste any better. We had to hunt for a table and squeeze everyone into a tiny booth. The rest of the group had to stand and eventually steal chairs. Some of our other friends came in when we sat down, and were still standing in line (towards the end of the line, I might add) after we'd finished eating. I guess this is as good as it gets in Portland. I'm so sorry. I really am.

    (1)

  • Dana S.

    Greetings from the bathroom! I am flip-flopping in my mind over whether or not last night was even a good idea. I ate a giant bag of M&Ms before coming here and eating a pancake so you can imagine the guilt trip I've since put myself on. At the same time, that WAS a damn good pancake. At 12:30 a.m. a majority of the tables were taken up, and it took reaally long for the food to come out. And let's be real, you're not sober by any means at that hour (yeah, I'm projecting). You want food and you want it now. And when there's one guy making everything, and you're under the influence, a 30 minute wait feels like 2 years. Plaid's sandwiches in a box sound like a really good idea right about now....But then, FOOD ARRIVES! No seriously though that was a bomb pancake. Why'd it have to take so damn looooong. And why is my stomach in so much paain. I'm having one of those guilty moments.

    (3)

  • Kathleen B.

    On the one hand, I can imagine all the reviews that are like "Dude! This place is so authentic!" and "It's open all night! We can totally go there when we are wasted! And have hamburgers. Or hotcakes. Or both!" I guess. But it's basically your average greasy-spoon, you can get eggs and greasy hashbrowns and, yes, hotcakes. I don't think it's worth the weekend wait and hassle for a table. Horrible coffee.

    (3)

  • Michael F.

    I enjoyed my hash as much as I've enjoyed any other diner hash. I'm glad I went because it's a Portland institution and all, but it is indeed just a diner with decent food.

    (2)

  • Ryan B.

    Service was not nice at all, food nothing to write home about, and Nickelback playing on the jukebox. That about sums it up for me. Not worth the visit in my opinion.

    (2)

  • Thomas W.

    For all PDXers after a night out at the bar, Hotcake House is 100% pure government-inspected Grade-A salvation. I cannot tell you how many hangovers I have avoided thanks to this open all-da-damn-time oasis of omlets, hotcakes, bacon and OJ! The food may be fairly standard breakfast fare, but lemme tellya somethin - if you stumble in drunk with a bunch of your friends, the smell alone is enough to keep you in that long line for up to half an hour, maybe more! It doesn't matter what's on the grill - if you're sufficiently sauced when you walk in, you will undoubtably exchange "Oooh!"s and "I want that...no that! Maybe both!" with your friends (and sometimes other people in line who you don't know!) Even better is when you meet that group of people you chilled with at whatever bar because they, too, had the brilliant idea to adjourn to the House for post-party noshing! It's not uncommon for cross-line convos to add to the already relaxed-yet-jumping vibe this place sets off with virtually no effort! My standard is the Philly steak omlet - a definite must if not just for the oooey-gooey goodness of the cheese and thick cuts of steak, but it is a perfect match-up with hashies and a huge glass of juice. There's nothing better for me and mah tummy when sitting there, discussing the philosophical ramifications of Chip and Dale's Rescue Rangers (particularly the Cola Cult episiode!) on modern-day social interactions with a group of equally-plastered compatriarts! The Hotcake House is one of those places that just screams PORTLAND!!! at the top of its lungs - for those of you who head on home right after the bar, this is where everyone else is going! Sure, the food is a bit more plain in the cold light of day, but the House isn't JUST about the food - it's a virtual focal point of nighttime Portland's cultural energy! I've had some really good times here, even if I wish the full effect could be had without the application of a lot of liquor! ;)

    (4)

  • Jeff E.

    This is one of those near perfect places. Ultimate Hash Browns (i think they were called) was amazing. Almost everything you want in a breakfast, except that you also need to try... The Pancakes were truly incredible. I felt that pancakes were pancakes and they didn't get too good or bad either way. Wrong.

    (5)

  • Skylar L.

    Is this the greatest place in the world? No. Is it open 24 hours and serves the post-drink oil jonsing night gods? Of course! Smallest portion of eggs I've ever seen. Good, simple French toast. Don't go here expecting to a) pick up anyone b) listen to good music or c) feel like you're eating at a clean establishment. Go here to eat. Plain and simple.

    (3)

  • Brian V.

    Oh man. This place was so good! I need to stop by again the next time I'm in Southeast Portland. I give mad props to the guys&gals in the kitchen.

    (5)

  • Jim F.

    I came here on a Sunday night, nursing a hangover that still felt like two gorillas slam-fucking my head. My meal came with a salad - an odd addition. It reminded me of the Thursday salad bar in junior high school and how all those kids went crazy with the all-you-can-eat ranch dressing. This isn't the kind of place for dietary balance. I was on a bit of a chicken-fried steak kick that week and the offering here was pretty not bad. The portions are huge and could easily satisfy two normal-sized folks, but better tasting fare can be found elsewhere. On the whole, not bad, but not quite a life-saver. Perhaps I'll take everyone's advice and go the night of rather than the day after.

    (3)

  • Heather S.

    Best pancakes I have ever had! And the hash browns are amazing. Super big portions so make sure you are hungry!

    (5)

  • Abbe and Jebby E.

    I'd just like to preface this review by saying that Original Hotcake House is not a place you necessarily go for an amazing meal. In a town where most establishments close before 10, it can be difficult to find places to eat. Enter OHH. The first time I went to the 'House was in high school, and I remembered it being like stepping into a Quentin Tarantino movie. Not much has changed since then. Every surface in the OPH is still slick with grease, the staff still looks like they just got off the prison bus, the jukebox still cranks out everything from Buddy Holly to Ciara for patrons willing to shell out the change, and the food is still inconsistent as hell. While my bacon cheeseburger was a dream, Abbe's meal was a nightmare. In subsequent visits, we've reached the highest highs and lowest lows of greasy spoon diner fare. The quality of the food seems to depend largely on who is cooking it. Things at the Hotcake House can be very hit or miss. But one thing is for sure, the people are always interesting. A year or so back my friends and I struck up a random conversation with a gaggle of train-hopping punks from Tennessee. Last time, Abbe and I spent the entire meal trying not to laugh at a highly intoxicated woman whose sweatpants kept migrating down her butt as she danced to the music on the jukebox. It's an excellent place to get a big, cheap plate of hot food and strong coffee and just watch the madness unfold. Just don't expect that big cheap plate of hot food to blow your mind every time. Here at Abbe and Jebby Eat Portland, we don't always go to a restaurant because the food is amazing. Sometimes, we go for the experience. The Original Hotcake House is a perfect example. While the food can certainly be amazing at times, it can also be really bad. But the people, the atmosphere, the place itself are what keeps us coming back, and we urge you to give it a try if you're racking your brain for a place to eat after 10 p.m.

    (3)

  • Hieu T.

    We were here at about 1am last Saturday a little drunk and hazy, but we definitely wanted some morning grub. This visit would be my third time here so I do have some experience under my belt. Here goes nothing... Cheap and greasy food. That's it. I'm not saying much else. Forget about the staff yelling at my friend for touching the metal container with butter in it on the counter. Forget about the overcooked gyro they stuffed with onions and sour cream (Seriously...WTF). Forget about the grimey look of the place and the unsanitary methods the cooks use (wiping knifes/spatulas off with your apron? Come on!) *SIDE NOTE* I still don't get why they growled and hissed at my friend for touching the butter container. I mean...they put it on the counter just before you get to the cash register. Take it away if you guys want to be jerks about it. Of all these years you expect to negotiate with drunk people by blasting them with a thunderous "NO!"? Get real.

    (2)

  • Elisa v.

    Creepy Reedies and pimps counting out their money on the tables is what I was told to expect from here. Instead, I was met by delicious stacks of pancakes and bacon just the way I like it, to be crowned with fried eggs, which are then promptly speared to create a golden veil of egg yolk ecstasy. The parking lot is too small and you are almost always getting backed over by a car or yelling at someone to move out of the way of yours, but this is a small price to pay for the experience of everything being cooked on the same grill and the masochistic thrill of not being able to sit down until you pay and clutching your sweaty money in line while waffles are being born in front of you. Last but not least, an insider's tribute to the stocked jukebox that absolutely no one but myself and those who have eaten there with me will understand, as put by the genius that is TLC: A scrub is a guy that thinks he's fly And is also known as a buster (busta, busta...) Always talkin' about what he wants And just sits on his broke ass So (no) I don't want your number (no) I don't want to give you mine and (no) I don't want to meet you nowhere (no) I don't want none of your time and (no) Chorus: I don't want no scrub A scrub is a guy that can't get no love from me Hanging out the passenger side Of his best friend's ride Trying to holler at me I don't want no scrub A scrub is a guy that can't get no love from me Hanging out the passenger side Of his best friend's ride Trying to holler at me There's a scrub checkin' me But his game is kinda weak And i know that he cannot approach me Cuz i'm lookin' like class and he's lookin' like trash Can't get wit' no deadbeat ass So (no) (yea, yea) I don't want your number (no) I don't want to give you mine and (no) I don't want to meet you nowhere (no) I don't want none of your time (no) Chorus If you don't have a car and you're walking Oh yes son i'm talking to you If you live at home wit' your momma Oh yes son i'm talking to you (baby) If you have a shorty that you don't show love Oh yes son i'm talking to you (yea yea yea yea...) Wanna get with me with no money Oh no i don't want no (oh) No scrub (no scrub, no love) No scrub (no no) (no scrub, no love) No scrub (no no no no no) No scrub (no no) No

    (5)

  • Samantha G.

    Great late night early morning food for after a night of drinks! They cook your meal on a griddle in front of you. Small diner feel

    (5)

  • Ray V.

    On the food channel there's a show "Diners, Drive ins and Dives". The Hotcake house would fit in well, 'cept I'm not sure they've quite reached the Dive level yet. Which I'm thinking is a good thing really, since they're pretty busy most anythime of the day, 7 days a week. Back in the day when I ate beef I came here for the chicken fried steak breakfast. 1 of the best in Portland! And from the looks of others eating it, that hasn't changed. The portions are huge. Bigger then huge even. And in that greasy spoon way everything is a comfort food and tasty to your toes. The hotcakes are yummy, oh and HUGE. The menu is not large by coffee shop standards but who cares really. I've never had a bad meal here, and I don't know anyone who has. Sober or drunk, the food is good. The lack of a 5th star is only because the service is spotty. I don't mind the cafeteria approach, it's kind of fun actually. But some nights you can stand there waiting to order and wait and wait cause the order takers mind is off in left field somewhere even if they're looking right at you. Still they beat the pants off the other 24 hour coffee shops that try to do the same thing but not as well.

    (4)

  • Johana M.

    What an oddity. Odd location, but I would say worth the drive if you need breakfast food anytime day or night. Odd seating inside. Get in where you fit in, yaknowwhadimean? Odd menu, but filled in with the breakfast basics. I didn't look at much else because I wasn't sure I could trust it. Since you can see the kitchen/grill/griddle/whatever...I felt ok about ordering breakfast. Even though they have some seriously creepy vats of goo bubbling here and there. If you like cream for coffee...they have it squirting out of a pump which is kind of fun. Really, another oddity. I have to give the whole situation props for having a decent juke box, which I proudly started up at 8:30 in the AM, much to customers dismay. Hey, I was feelin' it! Had I a hangover, the food here would have cured it I'm sure. The pancakes were super light and fluffy and drowned in butter and syrup. Just the way they should be! Beware though, I could only stab my way through a few bites before fullness was achieved. I also got an egg over easy- kind of a test...and they passed. It was a perfectly cooked egg. Overall, I'm a fan of breakfast any hour of the day or night and at the Hotcake House, victory is yours!

    (4)

  • LA to PDX ..

    This place is a one star joint, and even then it's a brown star. The folks working are super nice but the food is total shit and they added 50% more to the tip amount than I authorized and I didn't notice until I got home. The pancakes are good but literally everything else is horrifyingly inedible. One star only because of the service. Nice folks, too bad about the food.

    (1)

  • Michelle A.

    I'm pretty certain this place wouldn't exist if everybody was sober in Portland. Not like it's bad, but appreciate it for what it is....a place where drunk and/or stoned (and sometimes scary) folks go and eat food at 3am. Don't expect any miracles of gourmet. If you're hungry and its 3 am, it might hit the spot for you.

    (2)

  • George R.

    Big portions as this place is known for and easy set up for ordering and seating. Food is tasty as I love the hot cakes. Laid back with the old diner feel as the decor and furniture is worn down but I like it. It is what I expect and the food makes me happy! Many steaks to choose from which is what my wife likes!

    (5)

  • Christine N.

    Open 24 hours. Hotcakes: okay (if you get it with strawberry, they give you a lot of sauce and it has a jam-like consistency) Onion rings: greasy Chili cheese fries: chili was okay but fries were greasy and soggy

    (2)

  • Bobbi J.

    Hot off the grill, greasy breakfast! Is was awesome! I was happily surprised with the food! Yummy stuff. Good ol breakfast that tasted great. The meat omelette was amazing... Packed full of meat. The hotcakes are nice and sweet! I really have no complaints.... Little bit of a dive... But that is the nostalgia of the place. Can't wait to come back!!! This placed is packed and lots of kids here on a Friday night... they know where to get big portions for a great price! Nice job cooks!

    (5)

  • Barry S.

    Great Food Large Portions Great Service A Winner The Hotcakes always awesome Open 24 Hours a day You can always count on them for a bite.

    (4)

  • Heck N.

    The food is good and the service USED to be good but as of late they take way too long to get their food out (especially to-go orders). After waiting in line for 10 minutes due to the cashier walking away from a line full of customers, we asked if next time we are able to skip the line and pick up our to-go order. His rude response was we need to get there on time even though he had just gotten done bagging up our order as we walked in.

    (1)

  • Matthew F.

    Overall, I thought the food was good, but I have a couple of things I wish to mention. One is regarding the "No Holding Tables" rule; there were many who chose not to follow that rule, as if it did not apply to them. The rule is there for a reason, people; you are not special nor entitled! The other thing I would like to mention is regarding the cleanliness; it appeared that the grill areas had not been attended to for quite some time. The restaurant, as a whole, did not appear that clean, and it may be a good idea for the Health Inspectors to go out and take a look at it. In summary, the food was good (5), the cleanliness and service was not good (1), so my rating is the average... 3 's.

    (3)

  • Tiffany L.

    There's not many places in Portland quite like Original Hotcake House. Sure, it's not the cleanest. And, yeah, you're not gonna see rave reviews for the food in Food and Wine anytime soon. BUT - it's open 24 hours, and it serves up solid breakfast favorites for reasonable prices. And all the reviews about the "questionable" staff is cray! The staff is SO nice. And old school. I wouldn't mess with them. Come in around 2AM, order some pancakes (pour on that imitation maple syrup ya'll!), some eggs, crispy hashbrowns and a side of meat. And you, my friend, are set.

    (4)

  • Rachel H.

    The food was delicious. The odd thing was that you had to order before snagging a table, of which there are few. Fortunately a table was open after waiting in line. The biscuits and gravy was phenomenal. We always got the chili cheese omelet. Holy cow. Sounds weird, tastes amazing.

    (4)

  • Curt B.

    This is a small, greasy, no frills breakfast place and as long as you keep that in mind you will not be disappointed. The staff is part of the "not fucking around crew"...they take your order and if you're nice they're nice to you. The food is cooked on the grill right behind the counter where you order. You get a number, find a table, fill your own coffee cup (choice of half and half, skim milk or vanilla creamer) and wait for them to bring your order. The portion sizes are generous (at least for breakfast) and they have some pretty decent specials (2 eggs, hash browns and toast--very large portions) for $6.95. At just over $2 the coffee was a tad expensive given it was probably Yuban, and its self service, but now I'm starting to sound like my grandpa. Another cool thing is the mix of people you get. All ages, colors and socio economic status. It's a refreshing break from the usual breakfast hot spots in town.

    (3)

  • Gabe M.

    I have been eating at hot cake house frequently since moving back to Portland. The food is delicious greasy traditional diner food. (that's why we all love it, right?) Unfortunately you can't rest on the only thing going for you. Besides the restaurant being packed at every corner, the staff are sloppy with ordering, and rude when you ask where your hour old order is and your table has already completed their meal. It's really sad when such a landmark has terrible staffing and procedure.

    (2)

  • Sarah L.

    My family really enjoyed this diner. They were super nice and friendly! My children were amazed at the size of the hot cakes and neither were able to finish it! My meal was cooked perfectly and was delicious! Super bonus that the three of us ate for under $20. True diner prices :) We will definitely go back when we are wanting breakfast for dinner.

    (4)

  • Denise F.

    This place is one open 24hrs & the food is soooo good! They have burgers, veggie burgers, omelets, fries, fish & chips, French dip sandwiches & a bunch of other good stuff!! The prices are very reasonable & the food is made to order, the wait for your food to come out can be a little while because they're not back there microwaving your shit, there cooking everything fresh on the grill!! Everything we ordered came out amazing.. Definitely gotta stop in here again!!

    (5)

  • Dolores R.

    The food is always good and a great eat. Fairly priced but they are stingy with the drinks.

    (4)

  • Jay J.

    It's definitely a quaint, local landmark and popular with the locals. Parking is a little sparse as is the seating. They had a broad menu with plenty of options. The portions are good sized and the food is hearty. I tried the meat lovers omelet. It had nice big chunks of ham, sausage, bacon, etc and plenty of cheese. Very tasty! Pancakes were good sized as well.

    (3)

  • Leilani C.

    As a customer who may or may not be slightly inebriated at 3 am after an epic 80's dance cruise, I give this 4 stars. As a mostly sober patron who wants over - medium eggs, I give it two. If you want your eggs anything but acrambled, you should know to like them over easy. Want them over hard? No. They will bring over easy and you will like them...damn it. Over medium? Away with you! Over easy it is. Period. Don't fight it. Just eat it. The bacon is crispy. The frech toast? To die for. You can't hold seats and it might get so busy that you'll stand to wait for a table for a while after your order. Line goes out the door almost anytime after midnight. But chances are if it's after midnight, you're either absolutely starving or so intoxicated you don't even care

    (4)

  • A E.

    This place is booty. The only reasons it gets 2 stars instead of 1 star is because I feel sorry for the employees who have to put up with drunken assholes all night and because it's open 24 hours and ... But at the same time, I feel like they're taking advantage of those things and I feel they think they can get away with serving piles of hot feces to people just because most of their patrons are drunk and can't tell the difference and because there's not really many other options to go to at 3:00 in the morning. ... the food is gross... the restaurant is dirty... the annoying drunk customers are... well, annoying.... the jukebox doesn't work.

    (2)

  • Mark B.

    Good for 3am inebriated[ly] fueled poor decisions.

    (3)

  • Reece B.

    If you are a fan of breakfast food you will not be disappointed. They have the best pancakes (or hot cakes) in the entire city of Portland and their hash browns are unbeatable. My favorite omelet if all time on their menu. I could write an entire essay about the perfection of this restaurant but all I really need to say is GO HERE!

    (5)

  • Yesenia G.

    You can always tell a place has good food by the long line! Fortunately we got there at the right moment before it got busy. Food was so yummy and I got it quick. The sausage and hash browns were delicious. My toast was kind of burnt so I didn't eat it. Overall not bad.

    (4)

  • Ian F.

    This place, is fucking filthy... Both in the dining room, and what's visible of the kitchen from the front of the house. This is pretty noticeable, as there's still an outdated cafeteria 'slide your tray along the counter' thing going on here. The passive/aggressive old hippie behind the register is unpleasant. Seriously, what a grumpy bastard. People are coming in there to spend money. Would it kill you to smile and be nice to the customer? On top of that, he patrols the dining room like a rent-a-cop and barks at customers who don't immediately follow the antiquated 'order before you sit down' policy. I witnessed this happen to two different tables on my visit. We're talking a soup nazi experience here. The prices seem too expensive. Don't get me wrong, the portions are huge... But they're way too big. Too big to finish, and who takes home a doggie bag of breakfast? I'd much rather pay less for a human-sized portion. There doesn't seem to be any consistency or quality control. My wife and I both had hash browns with our meal that were served at the same time. Mine were practically burnt, and hers were underdone. This joint is old, and not in a cool, kitschy or nostalgic way. It's just gross. Save your time and money. Avoid.

    (1)

  • Daniel J.

    I went here tonight for my first time for some late night grub. I was not disappointed, I love this place. The food that my fiance and I ordered was delicious. First my waffle was a little overcooked (still tasted great) but the cook (Mel) insisted on making me another one. To all those who are complaining about this restaurant smelling greasy or being "trashy": What do you expect? Its a diner, you come to eat delicious greasy food, not to watch your waistline.

    (5)

  • Melissa L.

    24 hour burgers and breakfast? Interest Piqued. This is the kind of place you go in, order at the counter, and then they give you a number and bring you your food, so service was just fine in that regard. I had the ultimate hasbrowns w/cheese - it satisfied my post-concert need for stamina, but I did try some other folks' food. The biscuits and gracy were nothing special, but huge and still enough to satisfy a craving for biscuits and grave. The hotcakes are huge, and also delicious. I've never been much of a pancake person but I would definitely come back for one of those bad boys (no way I could have more than one!) Don't go in with expectations of incredible or earth shattering food - but cheap, tasty dishes that could easily be replicated elsewhere, and I think you'll be satisfied.

    (4)

  • Gary P.

    What can I say this place is a little hole in the wall with great food wow what a very very good breakfast. Ha chicken fried steak and eggs. It's actually cooked on the grill not deep fried. The pancakes were amazing. If u have a chance go here.

    (5)

  • Christy G.

    I have gone to the Hotcake House on and off for 15 years. The food has always been pretty standard. Not bad, but not fantastic. My kids liked it so I did not mind patronizing this restaurant occasionally. Today (Sunday at about 11:30 AM) my son asked for waffles, I decided to take the trek all the way across town to the Hotcake house. I knew it would be crowded. I walked in with my son and yes, it was packed. I saw an available booth and we sat down. Before I could even ask my son to look at the menu so I could order, the woman at the cash register left her position and walked through the busy restaurant to confront me...she informed me we were not allowed to be seated until we ordered. When I looked up to acknowledge her I noticed the entire line of people, at least 30 and many others that were seated around me, were staring. It was humiliating! When I said I did not realize we couldn't be seated she informed me loudly that there is a sign posted as you walk in...but she also stated that people were leaning on it so that's why I did not see it. After she walked away to go back to the register to take the next order I promptly picked what was left of my dignity off the floor and walked out. Utterly the worst customer service ever. I will never ever return to this place again...and I will tell every single person I can about the humiliation I endured because some cashier felt it necessary to chastise me in front of a room full of people. Thanks Hotcake House, I wont be returning. I can make waffles at home.

    (1)

  • Jay P.

    24 Hour Hotcake House! Breakfast all day and if you're not in the mood for breakfast lets do a burger! Or maybe even a steak!? But be warned it's pretty greasy; it's like a heart attack waiting to happen. You'll also smell pretty bad if you stay too long :( Finally after multiple visits I'm writing a review about this place. If you're a visitor to Portland I'd say it's one of the places to try out at least for a late night snack or meal. Service is always hit or miss though; just because of the lines that happen randomly and you'll have to wait forever for food because it's one cook for a million tickets that just randomly popped up for them. At least their portions are decently sized. I come here usually for their bacon cheeseburger with a side of hashbrowns and I'll always be so full that I don't want to move around anymore. They also have great specials listed by the register so don't forget to look at those while you're breaking your neck looking up at the menu for so long cause you don't know what you want still after being in line for 10 minutes. It can get pretty loud also so if you don't like all the noise there are seats in the back which make it significantly quieter overall the experience is a good one. It can get rowdy also later at night with more people with late night munchies so be aware on midterms and finals!

    (4)

  • Matt V.

    I think coming to the hotcake house for 10 years now. I cannot think of one single time when I was let down. They treat you like you are a friendly neighbor in a small town. Their food is absolutely amazing, the portion sizes are incredible and the service is always courteous and expedient. I also really love the fourth meal atmosphere in this establishment. They have a jukebox going and there's always a lively group of fun people. All I can say is that it's an absolute tragedy that this restaurant does not have at least 4 stars because it most certainly deserves them.

    (5)

  • Amanda N.

    Pretty good here for a pretty large portion of food! I come here late after drinking or the next morning for a breakfeast fix! Prices are reasonable, it's a small cozy joint that will definitely satisfy your cravings! Come here if you're always up late and don't wanna cook :)

    (4)

  • Justin S.

    We went back two nights in a row! Pretty good food and decent portions for a good price. Service was a little slow the first night, but they were a little busy. Service was fine the second night. The strangest thing was the pricing. We ordered the exact same food two nights in a row, but the first night we were charged $18 and the second night, $13. We looked at the receipts and it seems as though the two cashiers rung up the same items in two different ways resulting in substantially different prices (the second night, one order was rung up as breakfast special number 2 or something similar). Oh, well. We were satisfied with the $18 charge the first night and $13 on the second was just a happy surprise. The bacon was fantasic!

    (4)

  • Miz C.

    solid greasy diner. ive had the pancakes, french toast, hashbrowns, sandwiches, burgers, omelettes, basically ive eaten a TON of stuff off their menu and never been upset about it. once in a blue moon after a particularly shitty night bartending, ill rally some of my friends for a late nite visit. in fact, i dont think ive ever eaten here in the daytime.

    (4)

  • Nyki A.

    TERRIBLE! I have tried to give this place a try but I've been disappointed every time. The portions are tiny. The food is greasy. The service is slow. And everything is dry and microwaved... My chicken strips tasted like TV dinners and I only got 2 for $8. You get 2 pieces of French toast, 2 pieces of sausage, and an empty stomach. This place is only good because it's open 24/7. But you'd have to be drunk to be satisfied. I wish I could support this Portland family business but there is nothing charming about it.

    (1)

  • Paula W.

    I've been craving pancakes for a week and since I'm couch surfing it's a bit inconvenient to whip up a batch for breakfast. The OHH is not too far from the office so I thought I would stop in and get my fix. Wouldn't you know?!? I ended up getting the french toast special. 4 pieces (2 slices) of french toast, one egg, and choice of meat (bacon, sausage, corned beef hash). I went with the hash. At $8.50 I thought the price was just okay. In fact, everything about the experience was slightly underwhelming...except the server. He was the only bright spot in the morning. The coffee was hot but weak, and self-serve. The french toast was good, but it's kind of hard to screw up french toast. And the corned beef hash? Straight out of the can. And though it was warmed up, it wasn't browned in any way. I think it will be a long while before I make it back here.

    (2)

  • Hey U.

    Let's get serious for a minute...this is the kind of place at 1:45am your 1 soberish bud drops everyone off and you drunk ass proclaims these are the best f*cking pancakes you have ever eaten and you want to make love to that hockey puck sausage. And you would be right. At 2am, drunk. Sober, it's fine. Old school diner. Little dirty. Some of the staff look like ex-cons but if they can flip a hot cake that works. I will say when my buddy threatened to slap another pal with a hot cake but instead received a hot cake slap and proceeded to storm out and try to walk the non pedestrian side of Ross Island Bridge 4 miles home just lets me know the kind of shit goes down on any given night at the hot cake house. And when no one was looking their sausage patty made sweet love to my mouth...mmmm processed meats...

    (4)

  • Liz H.

    AMAZING FOOD! I have a hard time eating out because I get upset stomach a lot. And never once have I had a problem here with their food. Staff is on top of things and great happy environment. Wonderful they are 24 hours too!

    (5)

  • Ophelia Y.

    This place is exactly what you'd expect--a late night diner with greasy, drunk-friendly food. It's open 24 hours, which makes for some interesting late nights. They have a pretty large menu, offering breakfast items, lunch items, and random sides. I went on a Sunday night, and the Jr. Special was a pretty good buy: a pancake, an egg, and a side of ham, bacon, or two sausage links. I had the sweet potato fries (note: they are waffled). I received my fries, and they were miserably overcooked. I ate a couple of them, but thank goodness wasn't all that hungry. We sat and chatted for a few hours, when one of the restaurant employees came by to pick up our plate, saw how pathetic my fries looked, and offered to make a new batch without me having to say anything. I appreciate good service, and had nothing but the worst expectations for this place. Kudos to the guy who took good care of me and brought me new fries.

    (3)

  • Thao H.

    Usually would be my spot for late night food runs however tonight there was too much disappointment. First off the service was bad. The person who rung us up has no emotions. No smile, no greetings, nothing. Plus on top of that we stood at the register for the longest time until he came out. The cook had to call for him like 3 times. I also ordered hot cakes with links and scrambled eggs. However when my food came out the first thing I noticed was that my eggs weren't scrambled. It was hard scrambled eggs if anything it was just a giant piece of egg. By scrambled I meant fluffy soft scrambled eggs. Ok, one mistake. I forgive them. Went ahead and ate my links and pancakes. When I took the first bite of my pancake it felt...different you would say. Felt like raw pancake batter. So I went ahead and cut another piece out of my pancake and like poked it with my finger. And behold, the inside of the pancake was raw. It was super sticky to the touch and I barely touched it. I think I know what undercooked or raw pancakes taste and feel like, trust me I have made enough. So that was the end. Finished my links and left everything untouched. I was quite disappointed. I know it was just a one time thing but still.

    (1)

  • Kimberly D.

    Fast, wholesome, and very good price. Not the nicest or cleanest looking establishment but delicious nonetheless and they always seem to have the place full. Great hangover food! The pancakes are amazing and the hash browns are amazing

    (4)

  • Scott H.

    This joint was recommended by our concierge and it did not disappoint. These are the best pancakes I've ever had, didn't even put syrup on them! Our group had three different kinds of pancakes, eggs, hash towns and corned beef hash and everything was excellent. It may not be the most polished place and the jukebox totally sucks, but the food is killer.

    (4)

  • Prairie D.

    i am going to keep this short and sweet, so i ordered my meal, sat down and noticed there was a nice piece of fur ( yes hair) in my eggs, i was a little grossed out but hey things happen no big deal. So i took it back and told them, they took my plate, looks at it, took a fork removed the hair and gave the plate back to me! WTF i just looked surprised and walked out...

    (1)

  • Tiffchris B.

    Wow this place had such wonderful food and lots of it. The prices are fair for what you get the only small thing that bugged us was the costumer service was a little off the lady behind the counter was a little rude

    (4)

  • Elizabeth M.

    It gets four stars not because the food is all that good because well it is really just ok. No they earned these stars for fueling a crowd of twenty somethings after an all night binger at there favorite bar. I have been known to do this as well. I find that at two or three or four in the morning it is the place to hang out in and watch amateur hour at its best as.

    (4)

  • J R.

    Somehow I managed to not eat here despite living a stone's throw away for like 2 years. I didn't let another 2 pass. This restaurant, while understated, has changed how I feel about several dishes and ingredients. Used to be the type who turned my nose up at savory breakfast things like biscuits and gravy but had a bite of my husband's once and have considered ordering it myself. Lots of skill and no BS, you will get fed and so will everyone else in line. Don't expect to have some kind of poetic convo when ordering, it's streamlined for efficiency. Totally works for a lot of functions, including the odd afterparty and just straight breakfast. They have a Facebook page and what they post is kinda cute. Looks like they now have a website which is awesome but I wouldn't mind more info on there. Maybe putting up the specials would be enough to convince me to wait in line on Saturday morning! If not I will get there anyway. Ultimate hashbrowns have owned me.

    (4)

  • J D.

    The best Hotcake in Portland, period. Though not cheap. Big portions so consider sharing. Good coffee considering its "diner" coffee.

    (4)

  • Jacob M.

    Whether you're hung over at night, in the morning or just need a breakfast, this is the place. Anyone and everyone should eat at The Hotcake House and if you haven't, shame on you. This is just a Portland must landmark, as far as I'm concerned. 24 hours a day. Not the best, trendy, hip place, but that makes it all the much better!

    (4)

  • Bryan I.

    Somehow food tastes better when it's cooked by ex-cons, or maybe it's because it's 4am and you've got to get something in your stomach to distract your body and delay an impending hangover...either way, this is my favorite greasy spoon to visit any hour of the day. Open 24 hours, huge portions at standard diner prices, breakfast, lunch, and dinner options, plenty of seating, and not too far from downtown or east-side joints FTW!!! *Note: do NOT expect to see "certified organic", "locally-sourced" or "we love our customers" signs/verbage anywhere in this place :-)

    (4)

  • Tiffany M.

    Sometimes we all just need some damn good comfort food and to not worry about all the calories and THIS is the place you want to go for that! Around since the 60's/70's and family-owned and operated, The Original Hotcake House is so well-known for it's amazing comfort-food dishes like burgers, steak, and chicken fried steak that even Snoop Dogg himself stops in here to eat after his concerts in Portland. But the real winner here is the hotcakes - NOT pancakes, hotcakes! Using a special recipe, their hotcakes are by far some of the best I've EVER ate. To convince you even further, I've known about six different people that hated pancakes yet every time they eat here they always get an order of the hotcakes with their meal. So if you've never had the pleasure of eating at this nostalgically preserved gem that sits right near the east entrance to the Ross Island Bridge then this is a must-have to add to your bucket list. Whether it's breakfast with the family or late-night post-drinking grub, this is definitely a little history of Portland you don't want to regret missing out on. And who knows...maybe some late night you'll run into the "Lion" himself with his tour bus sitting out front.

    (5)

  • Alyssa S.

    I really liked how nice everyone was and how cute the restaurant is. Although, their crepes were cold when I got them so that kind of turned me off, but my fiance loved his hamburger :)

    (4)

  • Phong D.

    I'm shocked that I haven't review the Original Hotcake House (OHH). This is my go-to place for greasy, divey breakfast. Parking is difficult so I usually park on side streets. Expect a bit of wait after placing your order. In exchange you will get large servings of no-frills, Ron Swanson-approved breakfast. The prices are reasonable and you will leave acting / feeling / thinking like Ron Swanson.

    (4)

  • Vincent V.

    Great food and open 24 hrs a day. I have yet to stray from their breakfast food. It's that good!

    (4)

  • Kelly K.

    Greasy diner with the BEST comfort food. Portions are way huge. Prices are great for the amount of food you get. Do not leave this place until you've ordered a hotcake. It's about as big as your head and will make you melt in your chair. Yes, melt. I drive almost 30 minutes to eat here. The bacon is some of the best I've ever had. The home fries are amazing. Open 24 hours.

    (5)

  • Jessica S.

    Awesome service! Delicious gluttonous food! Nom nom nom! I am on a low carb diet and there is plenty of options here! I got the ultimate burger with no bun and it was amazing. Many side salad was little generic, but it's a side salad. Sadly, I got too excited to eat and forgot to take picture so here is our devoured left overs!

    (4)

  • Rob H.

    Chicken fried steak pretty tasty. The fact that I ate dinner there and my chicken fry came with eggs, hash browns and toast (hot cakes was also an option) threw me at first but everything was good and melded together well.

    (4)

  • Hannah G.

    Hotcake House is an entity onto itself. You have the elderly regulars. You have the drunk high schoolers. And then you have the poorly mistaken people who come here with expectations. The one time I wasn't here past 11pm, it just felt sad. It's greasy. The portions would make even Shaq full. The lines are long. You get yelled at if you take more than 30 seconds to order by the cashier. I didn't think they could mess up tea, but boy was I wrong. The music ranges from questionable to funnnkkaayyy midnight dance party. You don't go to Hotcake House intentionally, you just end up there. In short, I wouldn't change a thing.

    (3)

  • Marisol J.

    This is one of my favorite places for quick and really good breakfast food. I haven't tried anything else on the menu except for the eggs, pancakes and sausages - they are all yummy. However, ordering here can get very pricey. I haven't experienced long lines when I've come but there are tons of people here at all hours of the day. The atmosphere is interesting to say the least and the later you show up (after 9 p.m.), the more strange/entertaining the crowd gets. Aside from the food, one of my favorite parts about this place is the jukebox. I love music, and their music selection is really fun. I've noticed that I never plan to come to the Hotcake House, it just happens. If you haven't been, I hope that you end up here at least once - it's definitely an experience.

    (4)

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Map

Opening Hours

  • Mon :Open 24 hours

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : No
    Delivery : No
    Take-out : Yes
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Good For : Breakfast
    Parking : Street, Private Lot
    Bike Parking : Yes
    Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
    Good for Kids : Yes
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Divey
    Noise Level : Average
    Alcohol : No
    Outdoor Seating : No
    Wi-Fi : No
    Has TV : No
    Waiter Service : No
    Caters : No

Original Hotcake House

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