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John's Cafe

4.2 (139 reviews)
Closed Closed

John's Cafe Photos

JOHN'S CAFE ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Dogs allowed
Good for kids

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Recommended Reviews - John's Cafe

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The people who treated me poorly
Kenshiro P.

"I went in for breakfast and was refused service. Based on the way I was treated and the circumstances, I felt that my race/skin color was a factor in the decision. The experience left me feeling unwelcome and upset."

This is a Denver omelette which included a bell peppers, onions ham, cheese, and some hashbrowns and some pieces of white toast in jam.
Sarah L.

This was a great little spot. The prices were super reasonable. You will definitely get full off of one of their breakfast menu options. It's a lot more food for your money than you can find nowadays and the food is actually pretty good as well. You might have to find parking on the street with the meter, but it is worth it. The service and the prices were excellent and the quality was also there.. It is a quaint little place with a little bit of a retro theme. I loved it.!

Breakfast special with 2 eggs, boneless pork steak, hash browns and wheat toast plus coffee.
Steven G.

I took a short 12 city block relaxing Saturday morning walk to John's Cafe. I decided on the pork steak daily special: 2 eggs over easy, 2 slices of wheat toast, and boneless pork steak. I was greeted by a very pleasant waitress, who informed me she has been the proprietor 52 years. My breakfast was cooked perfectly and my coffee was hot and refilled without having to ask. It is evident the cafe is patronized by locals and tourists alike and the business is locally family owned and operated. The cafe is small with 13 stool seats and 6-two seat tables and 3 larger tables. The cafe is a gem for downtown Portland's Pearl District. The cafe is cash only, no lunch service on Saturday and closed on Sunday . Open M-F 7-1:30 ish, but closes at noon on Saturday. I will definitely return to John's Cafe on a return visit to Portland.

Jazmine R.

Such a cute mom and pop place in Portland thats been open for 50 years. The prices for the meals are averaging at $10 and CASH ONLY! They have a vintage cash register that was just perfect to add to the ambiance here. The food was great and tasted like it was made with love. The people who own the shop are on the older side and very direct when it comes to ordering and service but I have nothing negative to say about this place.

Awesome breakfast special!
David Q.

Excellent breakfast special ! Two pancakes were fluffy and the scrambled egg along with the sausage links were delicious for 8.95. The atmosphere is 1970s dinner . Affordable and good food. Say hello to John the owner and cook.

Menu

Unassuming place with the best pancakes I've ever eaten! I'm a waffle person but no waffles here so I ordered the breakfast special (2 pancakes, one egg, 2 sausage). Soooo glad I did. I had to stop myself from eating it all. If you are in the area, this is the diner where you want to grab your breakfast!

Jboogie L.

Basic Breakfast fare. The sweetest lady who runs the cafe served us. Easy parking right on the street. We felt safe parking right on Everett St. They are open 7a-1p (they said that business has been slow since people dont return back to work around the area. They use to be open 6a-6p). They have worked there for almost 50+ years! The interior is neat/clean. They only take CASH. Affordable prices $12 (no more than $12 for a breakfast)

Kim M.

June 2022 - Enjoyable experience! Food/Pricing - Super reasonable prices and yummy food! Service/Ambiance - The server was straight forward and friendly! Feels like I was in an old school diner. Highly recommend eating here for brunch or breakfas!

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9 years ago

Really good food that is very reasonably priced. They are known as a blue-collar restaurant and the owners run the place themselves.

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15 years ago

Great local, well made,great company!! The old local diner down the street in your home town with great food! Reasonable!

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8 years ago

A small mum and pop place with cheap breakfast. Pancake is so yummy, it's a must try. The owners are friendly as well.

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13 years ago

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9 years ago

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8 years ago

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8 years ago

I'm a regular. I always order smaller breakfast. Cause the servings are so large. Great couple always great service

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9 years ago

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8 years ago

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12 years ago

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13 years ago

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10 years ago

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9 years ago

The food was really good and very fast service. Super affordable nothing fancy just authentic.

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7 years ago

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11 years ago

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14 years ago

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14 years ago

Excellent food, great price, wonderful owners, good conversation, great feel. We LOVED it!

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11 years ago

This is a an awesome cafe locally owned for 43 years. Had the fried pork chop breakfast. It was delicious. The coffee is very, very good.

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13 years ago

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Screen Door Eastside

Screen Door Eastside

4.4
(9k reviews)
1.8 mi
$$

Food~It was absolutely short of amazing and, I haven't eaten here since 2016. I order the fried…read moreoysters/catfish it which very well seasoned, piping hot also fried hard (the way I liked it), with the homemade tater and remoulade sauce. The chicken (was tender) biscuits and gravy were so good. Biscuits were fluffy, the sausage gravy had a taste I couldn't put my finger on be was so tasty. The potatoes were crispy on the outside and, soft in the middle with a smoky flavored seasoning that made me want even more. Service~Our server and customer service was top notch. We chose to sit on the patio and, he was managing 6 times at once. He greeted the both of us promptly with water. Took our orders and, while we wait he continued to check on us while refilling his our drinks. Ambiance~Very clean restaurant and restroom. It was a very calm and relaxing atmosphere. Only street parking and, it's in a residential neighborhood. We chatted another 30 minutes after our meal and, didn't feel rushed to leave. I would highly recommend this restaurant it's a family owned and, they are from Louisiana.

Waited about 30 min to be seated. Took a little long for the food to come out…read more Large portion, pretty sweet. I would plan to share since they give so much. It's a good French toast but doesn't have that much banana flavor outside of the caramelized bananas. It was good with the sauce and whipped cream though! Also got some sides (egg, potatoes, coleslaw not shown) which were average.

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Inside - Dining Room
Inside - Dining Room
Fried Oysters
Fried Oysters
Seafood Jambalaya

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Seafood Jambalaya
Screen Door Pearl District

Screen Door Pearl District

4.5
(1.4k reviews)
0.3 mi
$$

Took a short walk here from the Royal Sonesta hotel to have dinner after a long adventurous day out…read moreand about in Portland. We decided on outdoor patio seating since the weather was nice & it was generally quieter outside. We were people watching for a bit and noticed that our fellow restaurant goers were waiting for quite a bit, but we weren't in a hurry, so it was fine. When our waiter eventually tended to us, he was incredibly friendly & apologetic, owning up to the delay being on him, but we were cool with it -poor guy was working a double shift. We started off with deep-fried okra, I ordered the fried chicken meal, & hubby ordered the burger. I got to pick the chicken pieces I wanted, so I went with 2 thighs, thinking they'd be smaller pieces, so I could maybe finish my meal. I opted for collard greens as well. The food came relatively quickly and was super-fresh. The fried okra bits were piping hot down to the last bite. They went well with the spicy aioli. We hung onto the aioli so hubby could dip his fries. My meal was so good. The chicken was incredibly tender and flavorful. The batter was just perfect and crisp. Mashed potatoes were smooth and creamy. Gravy was rich and well-seasoned. Collard greens were so tasty. The balance of textures was just perfection. I ended up having to pack up a piece of chicken because it was so much food, but I enjoyed every bite I was able to take of my meal. I appreciated their welcoming vibe & the beautiful pride balloon arch inside the restaurant. I appreciated the friendly service. I appreciated the thoughtfully and expertly made food. It was a perfect way to end my culinary experience for this Portland visit.

I am not generally a fan of Southern food, but this place is good! I am not a huge fan of fried…read morefood in general and surprisingly, I did not feel awful, nasty full at the end of this meal. The fried okra is awesome! The flavor & seasoning is there, even without the sauce. I am def a "sauce with absolutely everything" person, and it is so flavorful, I could have done without. This was my first time having catfish. I also am not a fan of grits, but knew that it would be to good to pass up and not give it a try. Everything on the catfish platter was splendid. I adored the biscuit and raspberry jam, might've been the best I have had! The raspberry jam was so good I asked for extra (because seriously, what was I going to do with that little bit provided lol) they end up bringing two more hehe. The biscuit was super soft, buttery and light (also coming from someone that couldn't care less about a biscuit). I also appreciate a biscuit that is NOT flaky! Hold your hate comments lmao! I had this amazing food before going to a wine tasting and let me just say this was the perfect choice before an event as such afterwards. Honorable mention, the chicken and waffles waffle is made with sweet potato. YEAH? It is as good as it sounds!! I think the videos on TikTok on this place, did not do it justice at all. Give it a try!

Photos
Inside
Inside
Deep-Fried Okra
Deep-Fried Okra
Chicken & Waffles - 1 Piece

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Chicken & Waffles - 1 Piece
Canard

Canard

4.4
(557 reviews)
1.0 mi
$$

Canard has such a cozy but casual bistro feel, while the staff were all warm and welcoming,…read moreincluding the chefs themselves, whom we had the privilege of engaging with since we sat at the counter, and I absolutely loved the interactions we had with them. Everything we ordered was gorgeous and whimsical in presentation, but of course that would mean little without the flavors to back it all up, which it had in spades. The Thai steak tartare tostadas were incredibly balanced, with brightness and herbaceous notes from the vegetables, herbs, and sauce, great punch from the Thai spices, richness from the tartare, and a nice snap and slight nuttiness from the tapioca crisps cradling everything underneath. The foie gras dumplings were simply divine. I expected them to be rich and dense, but they were like little pillows, with a savory filling and a perfect balance of smoked leek broth, crispy fried leeks, and a caramelized shallot jam that ended up being the surprise star of the dish for me. Then came the main event, the Duck Stack, which I can only describe as a McGriddle on steroids (in the best possible way!). Somehow it all worked beautifully, with the rich duck gravy, fluffy pancakes drenched in syrup, spiced onions, and a fried duck egg tying everything together in perfect harmony. It was one of those dishes that sounds wild on paper but is totally brilliant on the plate and in your mouth. Really fantastic meal from start to finish, and I'm already excited to come back to try more of the menu (and the happy hour!) on a future visit.

I'm going to be thinking about those Foie Gras Dumplings for quite a long time…read more All items I tried last night at Canard were creative, flavorful, well presented and reasonably priced. The garlic fries were spicy in the best way, perfectly crisp, and served steaming hot. The Duck Stack (pancakes covered with duck gravy, onions, and a duck egg) sounded a bit odd to me (and probably many others). When I asked the server if it was good, they told me that people travel to the restaurant specifically for that dish. I'm glad I tried it. Again, very unique with a well balanced spice profile paired with the delicious undertones of a hot pancake. I know I would have never thought of that, doesn't sound like it should work, but....it worked! Service was great, atmosphere was a bit loud with a band playing next door, it was a bit overwhelming, plus a random dude walked into the restaurant and a server lit his joint for him as a courtesy(?)...stunk the place up for a few minutes, but as I thought about it, I decided that was about the most "Portland" thing I had seen all week on my trip :) I'll be going back for sure, I would love to taste through that entire menu. Did I mention the Foie Gras Dumplings? I never had anything like them in my life. That's a dish I would definitely travel back to Portland for.

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Canard
Foie Gras dumplings..... the dish that kisses you back.
Foie Gras dumplings..... the dish that kisses you back.
Duck stack with froi grais on top

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Duck stack with froi grais on top
Mother’s Bistro & Bar

Mother’s Bistro & Bar

4.3
(5.3k reviews)
0.3 mi
$$

Ok, if you give this place any less than 5 stars you are broken inside! I read some of the less the…read morestars and honestly wonder how you could be so jaded or picky. Dude, I'm from NYC so I figured I was the biggest snob but stand back CA is in the house! lol I had the eggs Benedict which were perfectly cooked and had a Hollandaise sauce that came straight from heaven! My son had two breakfasts one sweet with a waffle and then eggs and sausages well. The staff was amazing , the food was perfect! And such a cute space! 10/10

I thought the staff was nice. It was really busy as it was Mother's Day, so I don't think it's a…read morefair representation of timely and attentive service. But when our server was with us, they were very nice and patient with my questions and requests. It's a bit loud when the place is on the full side, making it difficult to have a conversation. I wouldn't bring my girlfriend who is hard of hearing, at least with a group. I'd be curious to try more of the menu. I was very much not wowed by the breakfast. The beverages were however very nice, and I recently had the cobbler dessert and it looked amazing and tasted better. We had the coffee (Extracto, love.), I had a really good hef and my mother a very well balanced Bellini that I was very pleasantly surprised with trying. From what I saw, the lunch sounds very good and I'd be more apt to recommend folks give that a shot if they happened to be going there too. I'm not sure if I'd recommend as a must go stop. Vibe wise, the ambience is overall really nice. I think having rolled flatware, even with just upgraded napkins, would better complete the aesthetic you initially see and feel. This would also connect with the price point of the food and quality of the beverages. As a fellow server, on that note I would expect more consistent stronger visual appearance standards with servers. (Sorry guys! But some of you looked great!) Overall, I'd definitely join a friend for coffee and lunch over there in the future. Just wouldn't be my top pick for a celebratory brunch or intimate dinner with a date or friends and fam.

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Dining room
Dining room
Getting ready for Strawberry Shortcake Week!!!
Getting ready for Strawberry Shortcake Week!!!
Bar area

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Bar area
Lardo

Lardo

4.2
(1.5k reviews)
1.5 mi
$$

This was an incredible introduction to the Portland food scene, delivering some of the best…read moresandwiches I've ever had. Between the genuinely friendly hospitality and the flavor combinations, this spot hits it out of the park and is a must for sandwich lovers. Griddled Mortadella (5/5): An incredibly delicious sandwich that perfectly balances rich, salty, and savory flavors. It comes loaded with a generous portion of grilled mortadella and melted provolone cheese, perfectly moistened with a tangy mustard aioli. The fresh lettuce and bell peppers added a satisfying crunch to every bite. Chefwich - K-Town Steak Sandwich (5/5): A limited-time creation packed into a banh mi roll. It had a generous portion of perfectly tender and sweet bulgogi steak that pairs with their melted jack cheese. The gochujang mayo sauce had a subtle and sweet heat, while the fresh kimchi added crunch and slight acidity to balance the rich meat. Elote Tater Tots (5/5): Definitely a creative side dish. The tots were perfectly fried and topped elote style with cotija cheese, pairing well with the smoky chipotle mayo on the side. Logistics Tip: Street parking is surprisingly easy to find in the surrounding area, even on a busy weekend evening. The restaurant has a spacious layout with plenty of seating options both inside and outside. If you're a first-timer, don't hesitate to ask the staff for suggestions, as they're exceptionally warm, welcoming, and passionate about the menu.

I've only been to the Lardo in PDX (is it still there?), so I felt like I needed to give the brick…read moreand mortar a chance because, let's face it, the one in PDX is meh. We walked down here on a beautiful day after wedding deletes shopping, so spirits were high. Located on a busy corner, but with plenty of outdoor seating, Lardo is a good place to have lunch on a Saturday. I have nothing to say about the parking sitch. My daughter and I shared the Willamette Reuben and her friend ordered the Italian Flag. We shared the Lardo fries. Oh man, the Reuben was perfection! The flavor of the meat and everything on the sandwich, from texture to flavor--chef's kiss! We heard that the Italian Flag was excellent too. Definitely, you can share a sandwich especially if you're having fries. The fries were delicious--crispy and flavorful on the outside, perfectly hot and mushy on the inside. Yum!

Photos
Inside
Inside
Italian Flag
Italian Flag
Smash Burger

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Smash Burger

John's Cafe - coffee - Updated July 2026

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