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    Original Hotcake House

    3.6 (661 reviews)
    Open 7:00 am - 11:00 pm

    Original Hotcake House Photos

    Business Info

    ORIGINAL HOTCAKE HOUSE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Divey
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Original Hotcake House

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    Tripadvisor S.

    Original Hotcake House -- Blink and You'll Miss It, But Your Stomach Won't You'd walk right past this joint if you weren't looking for it--and you probably wouldn't step inside unless Yelp put it on your radar. That's exactly how I ended up here, killing time between appointments at the nearby VA Medical Center. The drill is simple: read the board, order at the counter, pay up, grab a number, and find a seat. No ceremony, no nonsense. Your food shows up fast. Easy peazzy. I went with the classic combat loadout: two eggs over-medium, bacon, crispy hash browns, and a biscuit with a side of country gravy... HOOAH! Execution? Nailed it. Eggs cooked perfectly, bacon thick and meaty, hash browns plentiful and done right, and a massive biscuit drowning in gravy. Mission accomplished. I left full, satisfied, and oddly respected. Now let's be honest--the place could use a facelift. It looks like it's been through a few campaigns. But clearly, whatever they're doing works. Bonus points: open 24 hours, which already puts them ahead of half the competition. The staff were friendly, efficient, and squared away. And all this for about $20? That's a win in today's battlefield economy. CombatCritic gives Original Hotcake House 8 Bombs Out of 10 More bombs are better - unless you're on the receiving end - HOOAH!

    2 eggs, sausage, sourdough toast and potato noodles(well that's what they look like).
    Joseph M.

    Disclaimer: if you're wondering, what kind of granola bowl options they have, or what's on their heart smart menu, this is not the place for you. However, If you are in the mood for a world-class greasy spoon, well my friend, look no further because you have arrived. The plates come three ways in this diner, big, greasy, and well fried. But the food is outstanding. Wagon wheel size pancakes that are about an inch thick, exceptional ground sausage and worthy sausage links too. Outstanding sourdough bread. So good I'm going back to have it in a sandwich. The grill so hot that your egg comes with a crispy fried edge. I can just feel the age of this diner, and the countless number of blue plate specials and stick to your ribs meals that must've passed through the service window boggles the mind. The guys behind the counter were nice. It's order at the window and they bring it to your table. This is another classic and old piece of Portland that simply should not be missed. Don't read this review and not go there if you think this might be for you, because it is worth the drive.

    Sign
    Ari F.

    We were welcomed into this outdated diner upon entering by the friendly staff. It was pretty quiet we did notice there was no music playing. The food was typical dinner food. I do think that hotcakes were well made. Generous portions. Again service was great but it is pretty outdated. They need something to brighten up the place.

    Angelo D.

    I'd probably give this a 3.5 because it's a little better than three and not quite a four. This place used to be a 24 Hour Pl. but it has a particular appeal to it because it's classic Portland. It's pretty affordable though it's not super high quality. The staff are always friendly and I enjoy going there for their jukebox and Their breakfast menu.

    Inside of the place.
    Byron Roy J.

    Man! You need to get into this place before 10 AM because the line goes out the door on weekends! Good big ol portions of classic comfort diner food. If you're hungry and looking for a bite, this is a good place! The inside seating is a little on the small side, but hey. It's a classic diner. What do you expect. It's easily accessible by TriMet bus routes 19, 70, and 291 as well as the MAX Orange light rail line. Happy eating! :)

    Order Up
    Mercedes C.

    Sometimes when my husband I travel we end up in spots and I wonder, 'where are we'? Just like this place. Our daughter gave us the 411 and said breakfast slaps and it's cheap. But, she also assured us that this place in the Southeast Portland area isn't sexy or high-end. She was right. Hotcake House screeches outdated Formica counters, wood panels, orangey wood furniture with a whisper of school cafeteria. This could probably be the absolute best place to overhear your fill of local gossip. Since our kid knows the restaurant and menu well, we sat and she ordered up and paid. Server brings your meal over and voila- you're eating. Basic is what you get. Nothing flashy. Don't expect artisanal waffles-but the fresh macerated strawberries, elevated them from 0 to 5 and my daughter's fluffy pancakes kept her satisfied. Service was pleasant and the music was an eclectic mix of R&B and Indie. Restaurants want to add flair to the menu- with micro greens this, aioli that, jalapeño everywhere and maybe some pickling- this is none of that. Fuck the dated look- come here for the breakfast (and lunch items). Hotcake House is consistently busy every time as my daughter told us and we noticed, so it's worth checking out the hype.

    Courtney R.

    This definitely gives old school diner dive and I loved it! You place your order at the front and then you help yourself to your coffee or water . Then you seat yourself . The food was good ... the pancakes literally put IHOP to shame ! Everything is priced amazing and huge portion sizes ! Stop by and grab some grub. You won't regret it!

    Chicken Strips

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    2 months ago

    Everything is always good! Best hotcakes out there! This is our go to spot now ! If you haven't tried them - ur missing out!

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    5 months ago

    Food was great you get a lot for your money it's very small but the service is great!

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    8 months ago

    Great food and service! Friendly staff and helpful servers. Thank you for having us! We will be back :)

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    1 year ago

    Great food - great service - same old cool atmosphere. The service is fantastic. Always a family favorite!

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    2 years ago

    French toast with sausage was good. Chorizo and eggs were disappointing because the chorizo was more like a chopped patty.

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    Page 1 of 17

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    Grits N' Gravy

    Grits N' Gravy

    4.4
    (675 reviews)
    1.8 mi
    $$

    If you are craving a hearty, comforting breakfast Grits n Gravy is the perfect spot. I would…read moreanticipate a potential wait on weekends, as I went on a Sunday morning at 9:30am and got the last two person table available. The ambiance is welcoming and fun. The walls are full of bright, colorful artwork that is for sale and made by the resident artist. The uptown shrimp & grits are a must order. They were decadent, rich in flavor, and cheesy. The country boy breakfast was also a delicious option. I enjoyed the creamy and well seasoned gravy that comes on top of it.

    On my 1st day back in downtown Portland, of course I skipped all the other treats so I could make…read moreGrits and Gravy to start my day. Overall, another great experience. However, now that I've been a few times, I notice little details like "why do the hostesses continue to seat people right next to each other?". There are plenty of other open tables that people could be seated at, but it really eliminated our ability to have a connecting conversation, as it felt like we were a party of 6 with us 2 in the middle!!! And 2 of the people clearly had some personal "issues" going on and were very disruptive. The space is small, but the visual displays of all the artwork make it a talking point conversation. The main artist was on hand & we found ourselves with the opportunity to talk with him while we waited on our food (which took a lot longer than expected). Funny, we ordered 1st & ours came out 10 mins later after everyone else. I decided to go with the Chicken and Waffles, and we also had the shrimp and grits. The food hit on all cylinders, and the only thing that was needed next was to make a move for a cocktail and a little walking in downtown to change it up. Will definitely return, but I will be more direct and vocal about seating that's for sure.

    Photos
    Menu
    Menu
    Downtown Shrimp & Grits
    Downtown Shrimp & Grits
    Best breakfast in town.

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    Best breakfast in town.
    Beastro By Marshawn Lynch

    Beastro By Marshawn Lynch

    3.4
    (225 reviews)
    1.6 mi
    $$

    Epic fail. To the…read moreyoung woman who was running her a** off trying to take care of the few tables that showed up; you weren't set up to succeed and I appreciate you. Poor thing works in the admin office and helps out on the weekends in the restaurant. Picture this: Saturday morning brunch in downtown portland and a breakfast place in a hotel lobby. Empty. We watched two tables leave without ordering. We waited until our food arrived to receive a drip coffee and a hot tea. (And when it did arrive the coffee was a cold cup of machine rinse. I really wanted what many have posted as the Hawaiian Breakfast: 2 eggs, 2 spam, 2 Portuguese sausage, white rice. But it wasn't on the menu. Our server accommodated my request (thanks to the pictures from Yelpers). But when it arrived it was 3 eggs, 2 spam and rice. Overall the menu is confused. Is it a Hawaiian theme or not. Scant options is rice. Lots of potatoes. Even the condiments were confused; no soy or siracha on the table but ketchup and Tapatio. The general lack of caring by the management is what sticks with me. The sad bowl of sugar packets, jam packets, creamers and stir sticks all thrown together on the table like a mistake. But when I asked for honey or soy our server had to go to the kitchen and get side dishes of these. C'mon y'all. Pay attention to the details. Your customer sure are.

    Great spot in downtown Portland. The Vance hotel is a fun hotel and this little Beastro is in the…read morelobby. Ate there two nights in a row, Korean Fusion is great. Had the Bulgogi one night and spicy chicken the next, served hot and delicious on cast iron. Danelle was a great server, so friendly and attentive, with a fantastic smile! I'll be back!

    Photos
    Donut holes!
    Donut holes!
    Braised beef loco moco. Huge portion
    Braised beef loco moco. Huge portion
    Loco moco

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    Loco moco
    Mother’s Bistro & Bar

    Mother’s Bistro & Bar

    4.3
    (5.3k reviews)
    1.7 mi
    $$

    Lisa S. and team NEVER fail to produce the very best in presentation, quality and service at…read moreMother's Bistro!! When we were new to Portland in 2018, Mother's was the overwhelmingly first recommendation for a "must visit" with a stern warning to "make a reservation" as we would not get in otherwise (due to its popularity! This was at their earlier location on the corner of 1st Ave and has not changed even in their larger space inside the corner of the Embassy Suites and across the street from the original Voodoo Doughnuts!! Some of my favourites over the years have included her Pot Roast, Meatloaf (in the very convenient "half & half" plate - no sacrifice of one for the other)! The breakfasts are the warm, delicious you need inside to start your busy day or to ride the "el" back up to your room to sleep off the carb coma (from the amazing waffles)!! Don't get me started on the pastries (if you truly don't wish this review to become a "50 Shades of Fatter After" ;) Don't question it, JUST GO!!

    I found Mother's Bistro through Yelp and recommendation from the front desk person at my nearby…read morehotel. I arrived about five minutes before opening on a Friday morning. There was a short line forming. The large windows give you a sneak peek at the opulence waiting inside. Upon walking in the main entrance, the first thing I noticed were the chandeliers. The inside is gorgeous. The walls are painted various shades of greens making it bright and gives off a soft and natural feel. Given I was dining solo, I decided to seat at the bar located off to the left. It seats 12 comfortably. A big plus for me are the seats. They had a high back and are super comfortable. I could see sitting for hours gabbing with friends. Nice upbeat electronic music played in the background. Loud enough to hear but soft enough that you can hear who is next to you. I ordered the Omelette du jour - Three egg omelette special with bacon, spinach, caramelized onions, gorgonzola and blue cheese. It was fantastic. The first thing that hit my palate was the blue cheese and caramelized onions. Delicious combination. I was happy to see that the omelette was overflowing with caramelized onions as I love them. The accompanying roasted potatoes were cooked perfectly. I also got an espresso martini to wake me up and give me a buzz to start my day. Upon first impression, if I lived in Portland, I would come here weekly. I could see this being the place for brunch with girlfriends to catch up over cocktails.

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

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    Bar area

    Original Hotcake House - diners - Updated August 2026

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