Cafes like this should be in every neighborhood. Simple tables, unpretentious decor, friendly wait staff, a specials list that goes for days. $20 and under plates with an ample portion. Good coffee. Clean bathrooms?! Wait... am I in Portland?! I sure am and John Street Cafe is a gem. I ordered the Dungeness Crab omelette. I'm usually alarmed by a bunch of ingredients accompanying crab in an omelette but this omelette is well balanced and filled with crab meat. Service was great this morning, commanding 25% or above tip. John Street is highly recommended. read more

Great food Great service. Friendly staff. Reasonable prices. Large portions. Conveniently located. read more

We decided to try the St. John's neighbor for breakfast before walking the bridge. We found this place and stopped in. They told we could sit anywhere, so we sat a table for 2 near the front door in the main room. It was busy, but not crazy loud & busy. A waitress brought us some water after a few minutes as we decided our food choices. After taking a few moments, we waited for a server, and we waited, and we waited. Finally we had to grab A waitress, since we had no idea who ran our table. The reason I bring this up is that there were a couple of waitresses there, and not ONE stopped at our table to ask if we were ready to order. We finally got our meals and they were fine. I ordered the lemon ricotta pancake with blueberries & my wife had the corned beef hash. My wife liked the hash as it was slightly crunch and not oily or greasy. 2 pluses. read more

John Street Cafe - American Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Lots of good options, and the food was good at an affordable price. Our server was distinctly unfriendly, though. It kind of dampened our experience. read more

OK John Street Café is a cozy hidden gym in North Portland it's pretty quiet and it's friendly and it's perfect for breakfast or brunch, now the Eggs Benedict is my favorite it's cooked perfect every time. My friends love all their vegetarian options plus the relaxed outdoor seating there's definitely no need to dress up here just great food good vibes don't miss the buttermilk pancakes or the various cheese omelettes. read more

Five collage friends descended today for a late Saturday lunch. I wanted to introduce them to the newest renovated region of Portland, with a real small town feel. It's a community of enjoyment so I was pleasantly surprised with the John Street and my guests were too. Ambience, menu, service, all perfect. My Bay Area friends especially favored JSC. read more

What service we received was indifferent and passive aggressive. Mainly the service was non existent. We were seated at 12:40 on a Sunday at the table right next to kitchen and quite central. 10 minutes later a waiter stops and takes our drink order. About 10 minutes again, he returned with our drinks and took our food order. Many tables were seated after we arrived and the restaurant was packed.2 different servers and employee who was bussing tables passed us MANY times without ever stopping to check on us, refill drinks or even making eye contact. 50 or so minutes after we were seated, we managed to literally grab an employee - she was only bussing tables and not a waitress. She said she would go check. Walked to kitchen, came back and went right past us. Not sure how much time went by before caught someone again, food was brought out one plate at a time for the 4 of us over about 20 minutes. No drinks were ever refilled. I ordered one of the specials, pancakes. Were delivered to me cold and rubbery. Omelet that was ordered was piping hot. Caught the busser and asked who we need to ask for our ticket. We also asked if our waiter had left (we saw him toss his bag over his shoulder, take off his apron and exit from the back), she never answered our question. She said she could take care of our ticket, brought it out quickly and told us she spoke to the owner and she was allowed to take 20% off. Owner nor a manager ever came out to speak with us but we are pretty certain she walked past us numerous times. We do not ever recommend John Street Cafe because of their service. read more

We love it. Service and food are both solid. For some reason, we lived here for years before ever going in. When we finally did, we were thrilled to see that they have a TON of specials every day that just about doubles their menu options. So heads up if you are deciding only based on their online menu: Their specials are where it's at. read more

John Street Cafe - Rotating Daily Specials - American Near Me - Portland, Oregon

I met a friend for lunch at this small little quaint Café in St. John's. The café was fairly small, but very comfortable. Wait staff was great. The service was fast and efficient. The food was amazing. This couple possibly be St. John's best kept secret. This is my new go to place for lunch or breakfast meetings. read more

John Street Cafe - American Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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John Street Cafe is the best breakfast in Portland. I've been coming here for close to 20 years and just love it.

This is my go-to place when I want to treat myself or just relax with some amazing food. Even though I always end up getting the same thing (the smoked salmon omelet is to die for!), there are so many options, especially on the Specials menu, located on a big whiteboard at the front of each room. What really stands out, though, is the service. I always feel so gently cared for. No one is pushy, everyone is so sweet and accommodating. It's a big reason why I keep coming back. read more

Very nice. Good food, large portions, speedy service. The quiche on special was amazing! read more

Great food and ambiance. Not over crowded on a Saturday morning. Service was amazing. Perfect neighborhood cafe

Small and cozy cafe. Service can be slow but if you are having a good conversation with friends, time will pass. Our server was great, we got everything timely. We ordered vegetarian egg Benedict, Wichita server offered to split into two plates, and it was perfect amount for two girls. They also offer some brunch cocktails and coffee beverages, good breakfast place. I will try again when I am in the neighborhood. read more

John Street Cafe - a plate of eggs benedicts, fruit, and potatoes - American Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Their food has always been above most food establishments. The people that work there are excellent also!

The service was extremely friendly and quick. I had the bacon eggs Benedict and it was delicious and the portion was huge. Also the fresh squeezed OJ is wonderful. read more

John Street Cafe - American Near Me - Portland, Oregon

St Johns is such a cool area, lots of parks nearby and shops to explore. Not as crowded as Hawthorne but nice mix of shops, cafes, bars and restaurants. John Street Cafe is usually packed for brunch on the weekends and there's plenty of outdoor seating at their private patio. The service was great. Waitress brought a toy for our friends kid to play with. The French toast hit the spot. The slab of bacon and scrambled eggs was tasty. Very rich bacon. My friend ordered the Benedict and that looked pretty tasty also. The side of breakfast potatoes was also scrumptious. Nice spot in St Johns. Lots to try on the menu, staff was friendly and chill. read more

John Street Cafe - French Toast with Bacon and 2 Eggs - American Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Wife and I flew in from Vegas and went to this place on the recommendation of my cousin whom seems to be always impartial to eating out at places in specifically St. John's. I use to live in the vicinity some years back and, unfortunately, not a lot of places have survived. Some have changed twice over since I lived around here...but that's another story.... I found this place to be...just ok, I guess. To be quite honest, a very typical breakfast spot I would expect in St. John's. I will agree with at least one of the reviewers that this place doesn't really offer much except mainly omelettes with a few other entrees on the menu. I opted for one of the specials, the Farmer's Omelette which I thought was pretty decent. I can't recall all the ingredients except bacon, olives, spinach, and cheese. Everything tasted fresh. Came with literally a few roasted potatoes, an orange wheel, and some buttered toast that was rather cold. The service was good but slow. At first, I was thinking they were waiting for the chickens to produce the eggs for the meal as it honestly felt that was how long it was taking and, for some reason, my wife and I got our food much sooner than my cousin's. Timing was off a bit. Overall, eh...it's OK. It seems that quite a few people enjoy frequenting this place. For me, in my opinion, this is a great spot to come socialize, meet to catch up with a friend or two and kill time with a bite to eat. To solely come here to eat, not so much. 3 out 5 stars. Cheers. read more

John Street Cafe - Farmer's Omelette - American Near Me - Portland, Oregon

The food here was very yummy and very classic diner which is exactly what we were craving! This is a nice alternative to the typically very crowded brunch places - more cozy and straightforward. The only reason I don't give it a 5 is because service wasn't the best. read more

John Street Cafe - Buttermilk Pancake - American Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Food was delicious. The pancakes are huge! The oranges they serve with the pancakes were very sweet. The service was good, we got seated in the back patio instantly. While we were eating, we saw the special menu they had and we missed that they had french toast! -Maybe we will try it next time! The ambiance of this place was great, very family friendly and peaceful. We will definitely return when we are in Oregon again. read more

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What a wonderful place to enjoy a breakfast, brunch or lunch -- thoughtful, patient and friendly service and fresh and perfectly cooked food. Be sure to check their numerous daily specials on the board as you are perusing the menu. We've eaten here several times and no matter what we order, it's delicious. One of our favorite places to eat! read more

This spot always hits the seasonal itch! If you like a low key homerun breakfast in St. John's this is it. Nothing else meets the options here. read more

John Street Cafe - Great meal - American Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Confusing upon entry - go to the counter? Seat yourself? Answer is to find a seat fyi. Limited menu. Specials list is longer than the actual menu. Corned beef has was the worst I've had in my life. Ordered eggs over medium and they came out extra hard. Toast was even tough. There is zero love in this food. Zero. This is absolutely not a 5-star restaurant, it could probably earn a 2 or 3 on its best days. I'm not sure if this restaurant knows what it is - decor is all over the place. Just lacking energy overall and food not great. Way overpriced for what it is. read more

This is a wonderful breakfast/brunch spot that's a bit of a secret I think. Located in the heart of St. John's, they serve breakfast & lunch Wednesday through Sunday until 3pm. The food is always delicious, we'll-made, and reasonably priced. Services is solid, and sometimes even fantastic. In warm weather, there is an outdoor seating area that's in a small garden, a really nice touch. Sometimes service is slow due to the tiny kitchen but the wait is worth it. I recommend the Bacavo omelette if you go! read more

John Street Cafe - The Bacavo and a blueberry pancake - American Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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I had the eggs Benedict and my wife had the quiche. They were both excellent meals. The wait staff was friendly and attentive. The prices were very reasonable. I would highly recommend this place if you're in the area. read more

John Street Cafe - Quiche and eggs Benedict - American Near Me - Portland, Oregon

We got Lucky, This Place is Popular!! Nestled away in a strip of unassuming stores and shops is John Street Cafe in Portland OR. This hidden Gem restaurant is a local hot spot for breakfast, brunch and lunch in the St. John's area. On this visit in which I was joined by colleagues from the local EVRAZ I decided on a homemade soup to try and the Blackened Red Snapper Salad which was a fantastic dish for a lunch. Filled with fresh veggies and thinly shaved cheese and a very light dressing and of course a perfect portion of red snapper, not enough to give you a food coma but just enough to know you had something to eat. All in all a great lunch and affordably priced. The St.Johns area in Portland is known for its eclectic food scene with many little Ma-and-Pa places serving all kinds of different cuisines, definitely worth checking out if you're exploring the local food scene in Portland. read more

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Goat cheese omelet (pro tip: put the jam on the toast and the omelet on the toast and it's the best thing ever) ...hence why it's an empty plate. It was SO dang good. Wow. Fresh af. read more

John Street Cafe - Goat cheese omelet - American Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Food was so incredibly mid, they were so understaffed so the service was not great. Will not come back.

Brought the family for Brunch here. The staff is friendly and the food is good. It was great that we didn't have to wait for a table here, although I think we just came at the right time. Everyone enjoyed their food. My nephews said it was the most delicious breakfast they've had. Only one thing to point out, one of us had a green chile omelette, and you couldn't taste any green chiles. Other than that, thumbs up! read more

Did the server psychically predict that I needed more coffee? She refilled my mug mere seconds after it clanged with the table. Nope, she just did it again! I had the corned beef, hash and eggs special for $16. I know, feels a bit steep, but it's reflective of the inflated rents and food costs these days (01/2023). The sourdough was well buttered and toasted to perfection. The special was voluminous enough to feed 2 people. And we're not talking canned corn beef and hash, it's the real deal. Well-seasoned but not canned ol salty. In fact, I'd say it's a little under salted which is perfect for those of us looking to choose how far into hypertension we want to delve. In all, the service was great, the coffee was flowing, and I definitely recommend John Street Cafe for a fulfilling and tasty bite. read more

This place is a real hidden gem. The atmosphere is warm and inviting and the service is friendly. The food and the coffee are superb. I especially recommend the tuna steak salad. The fish is excellent sashimi grade, very fresh, seasoned and seared to perfection. read more

Quiet little Cafe, a lot of nice art! Staff was very friendly and accommodating while we asked for a window table. Arrived late afternoon on a Sunday. All tables were full. Breakfast and lunch menu offered. I ordered the French toast, bacon and orange came with the order, eggs to order! The food was fresh, hot and arrived in very short time. Definitely will return, the menu is huge! Thank you staff for a wonderful experience! read more

Came in here for brunch by myself my last day in Portland. The waitress greeted me with a smile and told me to sit wherever I wanted. I treated myself to a mimosa and to my surprise I got a mini bottle of champagne with a cup of orange juice to make it myself (a little bit of OJ is the best way to make one IMO). I then ordered the two eggs with bacon combo. It came with toast, oranges and breakfast potatoes. I also ordered a side of avocado to put on the toast. The eggs were perfectly cooked (I ordered over medium and they were perfect), bacon was soooo thick and delicious, plus it came with 4 huge slices! As someone who doesn't over indulge in bread, I couldn't get enough of the toast. It came with two different jams and although I think it was a raspberry one and not sure of the other, I wished I could've taken jars of it home- so good. They also have a good portion of avocado! I almost cleared the plate but was so full I left just a little which I kind of regretted after I left lol. Really happy I tried this place as it was a good breakfast to close out my trip. Thanks so much! read more

John Street Cafe - American Near Me - Portland, Oregon

got a scramble and it was overcooked and watery. comes with a very small amount of potatoes and some very tough toast. the servers were super nice but it took and incredibly long time for us to get the bill and leave. read more

This rating is a reflection of service, mostly. It was busy on a Saturday. My partner and I ordered omelettes. About an hour and 20 minutes later, we noticed people seated 30-45 minutes after us were being served omelettes. That's when we got up and walked over to the back where our server was and asked if our food was still on the way, at which point the server said there was some kind of mistake with our order. The server brought out food right after this interaction. During this period, my coffee was refilled once about 40 minutes in by someone who was not our server. Never did a server come around or ask us if we were ok, needed anything, etc. We felt forgotten about. We expected some sort of comp for the poor experience but none was given at first. So we spoke with the manager who did not want to give us the time of day. She comped our drinks. It was a really sad welcome to Portland as this was my first time in the city. It was a really, really poor experience. Food was ok. Nothing I couldn't make at home with identical taste. It was fine. Nothing else. The ambiance was nice. I was excited at the beginning of the experience. I do not recommend this restaurant for others looking for a breakfast meal. read more

This place is a stone's throw from my little apartment. And down a flight of stairs. Been there a few times. Still never sat in the back but it sure looks pretty. The only issue I had was that they put full filberts (what's their other name?) in their pancakes which is a little difficult to eat. Otherwise, brilliant and their omelettes are wonderful. read more

Moved to St. John's a couple months ago and have enjoyed going to this spot a couple of times. Tried to come to brunch today. Put our name on the list with a phone number at 1:28 and went around the corner to have a cup of coffee while we waited. At 2:30 I called to ask where we were in the list. After confirming my name the staff person says, "Well, you can come in now, I guess." Me: "Ok, we'll be right there." And hang up. In the literal 300 ft walk to the cafe the same staff person calls us back on my partner's phone (meaning, they have the number we left) and says, "My manager wanted me to tell you that our kitchen closes at 2:45. But you can still come in if you want. Oh... and we're also out of potatoes. Sooo...." Me, kind of annoyed: "I think we're good, thanks." Staff: "Ok. Sorry." Hangs up. They close at 3pm. As someone who spent 8 years in the service industry, I do genuinely understand the frustration of having someone come in close to closing and, honestly, I don't want to make anybody's work day any harder than it needs to be. But this whole experience was just unnecessarily thoughtless and rude. What a waste of time and an incredibly bad impression to leave. read more

There is no place in St. Johns that is more welcoming and has better food. This cafe has the best possible lineup on meals. Always a good time! read more

Another favorite food place of mine in St. Johns. When I'm lazy, I go to Over Easy. When I want fresh breakfast food, I walk to John Street Cafe. It's lavender-lilac interior with spacious windows and art on the walls makes it a light and bright place to sip coffee while waiting for a gourmet omelette. The service is brisk and unobtrusive. "Bizqwik" pancakes are not to be found here. Hearty, homemade fare are the options. My go-to is veggie cheddar on roasted red potatoes. Omit the cheese for an easy vegan or gluten-free option. read more

Ordered 3 sandwiches, 2 ice teas, 1 iced latte. One hour later, still no sign of receiving the food order. Restaurant was not busy at all. Explained we needed to leave, the manager was barely sympathetic, and charged us for the drinks, despite the terrible service. Avoid this place unless you want to spend your entire day there. read more