My wife and I were loyal customers of the Old Paul's Restaurant. We were excited to try the New Paul's. We went twice the first week they opened.....Both were bad experiences. Here is what we tried. The BLT, Ruben, Fish & Chips, and Tomato Soup. The Ruben's Corned Beef was too thick and tough....the sauerkraut way too juicy causing the bread to be soggy. The French Fries at every meal were limp, cold and flavorless. The only thing we found good was the salad. We went back yesterday hoping they had improved. Once again, it was the worst lunch we've had in years. read more

Been going to Paul's for three years. Enjoyed past specialties of the previous owner. Looking forward to the new management's ideas. I really hate to say this (honestly, I do), but it is clear there is a new owner in charge. The waitress was taking our order, and she saw a friend come in and she waved at them and then disappeared, walked away without finishing with us. I had to track her down to complete my order. My cranberry juice arrived, and it was so very watered down, I could not be sure what flavor it was. I ordered oatmeal with fruit. 5 blueberries added for $2.00. My side order of sourdough toast arrived, hard and cold with butter on the side. My husband's Noah's Arc entre arrived with 2 slices of greasy limp cold bacon when he had ordered Sausage. His pancakes had powder sugar on them???? We are diabetics, man?? The total bill was over $50 which I can no longer justify that kind of price for what we received. $4.50 for cup of coffee!!! ??? And the new owners really haven't changed the decor of the place, didn't even clean the carpets? Yuk! They did put more lights in the bathroom. NOTHING ELSE but more lights. Disgusting. Folks I just cannot accept all of the mediocre service and foods served up these days for premium prices. Being retired means getting your monies worth. That will not happen at PAUL's of Vancouver. The staff talked up the changes but after what we received today, I don't think i am willing to spend more money to be disappointed again. Sometimes, you only get one chance to impress the locals, the repeats, the backbone of community support. I so looked forward to a homey place for daily breakfast and lunches. It's a shame. read more

Service was insanely slow. My friend and I had to wait for about 30 minutes. The water they serve is disgusting. We just left by then because we didn't have enough time to spare another hour on this. By the pictures and reviews, it looked promising, but we were fairly disappointed. read more

Service and ambiance! Touted the food as homemade, fresh. The toast was hard as rock, the gravy was cold, had to ask for coffee. Waitress Lois couldn't just pour, as we are accustomed to having done! Lastly of my complaints, they DON'T split checks! read more

What a delightful discovery right in my back yard! My boyfriend and I realized recently that downtown Vancouver is very easy to get to via transit from Kenton where we live. You just hop on the max yellow line to Delta Park and then take the 60 bus across the interstate bridge, super easy. We were looking up classic diners because they are increasingly harder to find when we stumbled on Paul's. This place took me back to when my Great Grandma would order burnt toast and smoke cigarettes with black coffee while I had breakfast at the diner with a big mug of hot chocolate with whipped cream. What I'm trying to say is that it's absolutely nostalgic in all the best ways. Super clean decor, big comfy booths, seating at the bar. Speaking of bar there's a little dive bar in the back called the Elbow Room. How perfect is that? The service was so warm and endearing, and our portions were HUGE and filling. Great bang for the buck and tasty. They make their biscuits in house, their salad dressings in house and their soups. We will DEFINITELY be back to Paul's, and you should go check it out too. You won't regret it. P.s. Reese Witherspoon likes Pauls too. read more

Paul's Restaurant - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Vancouver, Washington

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I'm a diner snob. I like my spoons greasy, my hash browns crispy, and my coffee burnt. When I'm feeling homesick or can't figure out what I want to eat, diner food is my go-to. The family is sick and tired of getting dragged to every spot in town but I'm obsessed with simple, well made scrambled eggs and hash browns, and Paul's just crawled its way to the top of my Vancouver list. The decor is old skool. I'm talking 1971 frozen in time. The cool part? It was super clean. Everything inside looked original and you don't keep a place like that in one piece for that long without some TLC. The food? Quintessential diner fare and very reasonably priced. I had scrambled eggs, sourdough toast, coffee, hash browns, and sausage links. Everything was hot, fresh, and tasted homemade. Zero complaints! I ate so much that the food coma kicked in the minute I got into my car. Thanks for keeping it simple, Paul's! I'll be back with friends on the regular. Five stars. read more

Service was great, food was simple and greasy and I loved it. So far the best biscuits and gravy in the 'Couv.

There is a very strong odor that smells like pee in there. As soon as you walk in, it's pungent. Could not sit in the establishment without gagging and had to leave. read more

Lisa is an amazing waitress and the food is always good. I've eaten here 50 times at least in the two years I've lived in downtown Vancouver. read more

I think the thing I love most about Paul's is the down home feel you get as soon as you walk through the door. If you're expecting a red carpet welcome, please go elsewhere. Picture walking into a holiday family gathering, and you receive a wave from the kitchen to seat yourself wherever you're comfortable. Someone will be with you soon with some water, silverware, and menus. From there, you have a lengthy list of breakfast, lunch, and dinner options to peruse. You can order whatever you'd like regardless of the time of day. Comfort food awaits! Our table ordered a BLT with fries, a Denver breakfast skillet, and the sourdough breakfast sandwich with egg, cheddar, and bacon served with country potatoes. All were delicious. Also appreciated the friendly and efficient sever. We'll be back! read more

Paul's Restaurant - BLT with Fries - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Vancouver, Washington

An old community staple. Always friendly bartenders, these days. I do miss the patty sass though. Best dive bar downtown!

Some of my friends and I were excited about going to Paul's reopening on June 2, 2025. Before we went, we were told that the food would be the same as what Paul served before this relaunch, just new owners. Five of us went and ordered different things from the new breakfast to lunch menu. I ordered breakfast and was severely disappointed. I had an omelette that was topped with one (1) piece of toast that was so hard you could have used it for a Frisbee. I had to send it back. Another friend ordered a cheeseburger with potato fries. She had to send the hamburger back because it was barely cooked. It came back to her in the same bloody bun she sent it back with. At that point, she told them she wasn't going to eat it. They gave her a complimentary bowl of unripe fruit. One of the other ladies had a hamburger and fries that were dripping with grease. And the other two people who were with us were very unhappy with the food their food as well. There is nothing food-wise that compares to what the old Pauls served, which was pretty darn good. This is sad for this new business in the name of Paul's because it is unlikely that they will have repeat business at this rate. And on top of all of this, their prices for all of this ranged anywhere from $15 to $19 plus tax and tip!!! read more

Service, coffee, berry pancakes, crispy bacon, and open every day ~ 7am/6 pm. What's not to like? read more

This is like a local Denny's. The food has no flavor whatsoever. The chili omelette had canned chili and no salt, pepper, or anything else. The waitress offered hot sauce before I even got my food, but never brought it to redeem this boring mess. Also, $7 for just a biscuit with gravy costing extra? No, it's not fancy enough to justify that. read more

I love this diner. Great tasting food, friendly staff. My coffee cup is always full and the portions are great. There is no better classic breakfast food around. read more

Great food. Great staff. Old fashioned diner. But lately service is super slow. Once waited close to an hour then left without getting my food. read more

Love this place. Old school restaurant feel like restaurant use to be like. Food was great. We tried breakfast this time. Bacon, eggs, hash browns, toast, Ham & cheese omelette and biscuits & gravy. All were amazing. Will be back. read more

This is an old school local diner, not high end. The staff is efficient, and they know how to cook eggs to order. Very reasonable prices.

Went in after a rough morning shift the other afternoon. Eli was great to talk to and made me forget about the awful morning I had. Great drinks and good service. Elbow Room remains the go-to dive for a reason. I only wish they'd extend their hours. Shelly who came in after shift change was also awesome! read more

Good simple breakfast. A little short staffed but professional and courteous. I'll be back.

Great little place! Husband and I were looking to try a new place and we found this! I was weary about going because all us folks from around here no how horrible parking can be in downtown but Paul's has its on parking lot! It is across the street but, that's better than paying to park. Now let's talk about the food. Prices are great. So much so that I was worried that the food would be poor quality. I was delightfully surprised! Great food, great taste and great portions. I spent 10 dollars on a Combo Club sandwich. Served on Texas toast with three types of meat. Got a plate full of fries as well. Coffees have free refills. Service was amazing as well. This place has an old timely feel and that classic sweet personality for service you'd see in a movie about a 50s diner. Server was very attentive and also knew her customers very well. You can tell this place really cares about their customers. read more

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My favorite breakfast spot. This is the diner-lovers diner. Staff is lovely, food is great. Try the pancakes, they're the best around.

The food is cheap, but mediocre. We got seated fast, but the service is very slow. They took our order after 10 mins of being seated. Waited 40 mins. for food to arrive. The other customers that were seating next to our table got their food served first, despite arriving way later than us. read more

Ordered bacon and eggs, shorted one slice of bacon, hash browns were greasy. , wife's omelet was good. Service was terrible. Both waitresses were very busy talking with friends about medication. Had to wave our arms to get the server's attention for more coffee. We have eaten here foe years. This is the worst ever read more

Very good! Went here on a Sunday morning. Classic old-school Americana diner decor in brand-new condition. Very clean. Our waitress was friendly and helpful and did a good job. I had chicken fried steak, my wife had pigs in a blanket. Both plates were well prepared. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend you give this Vancouver classic a try. read more

This is just okay. It's a you get what you pay for. Compared to the other places in the neighborhood it's the most affordable. I should go back and try something different. I had bacon eggs over easy. But it's busy, mostly an older crowd, maybe seniors who've been going here for years, read more

Came to Paul's because lines were out the door where we wanted to eat. Summary-Rude service, waited over 1/2 hour for a taco omelet that was mostly dry overcooked hamburger. Coffee tasted like brown water. English muffin was the only good thing on my plate. Won't be back. read more

The restaurant was filled up but strangely quiet. There seemed to be a bit of a older crowd. Paul's has a original Denny's style look. Our server Becky was very nice. I could hear her mention that her help had called in sick and she was on the floor alone. She got to us as soon as she could, was very friendly with a plead for patience in her eyes. She was so nice, we gladly gave it. She was the most enjoyable part of the meal. We ordered the Biscuit Special (one biscuit with gravy, eggs and meat oyc), a Three Cheese Melt and a Side Salad. The salad was good. It was crammed with beans and beets along with the greens and other traditional salad fixings. I love beets in my salad so I was pleased. The biscuit and gravy were nothing special, the eggs and bacon the same. They were not bad but I would not put them on the list of great biscuits and gravy. The three cheese melt came with cheddar, swiss and cream cheese with a couple of mostly tasteless tomatoes with sourish green seeds. The sandwich reminded me of my grandmothers special grilled cheese sandwich on buttery white bread so I ate it happily even though it was not all that great. I regret nothing. I can see Paul's being a local diner with mostly local older patrons. They do have a cocktail lounge which I did not see. They have daily specials up on the board. I would neither go out of my way to visit or avoid Paul's. I loved our server and her hard working, friendly attitude. read more

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I was on my way to an outdoor camping rave-type event I have to admit, I was VERY apprehensive about entering this place. The whole Mel's Diner, creepy truck stop theme, is just not my cup of tea. Also, quite frankly, Vancouver kinda creeps me out altogether, for reasons I will not go into within this entry. My friends and I simply were not dressed to impress the 60 plus crowd, who seem to frequent this place. I have to say, that we were all pleasantly surprised by the quality and taste of the breakfast food served at this establishment. The staff was extremely friendly and attentive, never once making us feel out of place. Even my picky veg-only friends approved, and if you're an omnivore, you know how daunting it can be to impress someone who is non-carnivorous. If you're passing through Vancouver around breakfast time, ignore the decor and give this place a try. read more

Paul's Restaurant - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Vancouver, Washington

My husband and I came here for brunch. I ordered a turkey melt and he got a plan waffle with egg and sausage. I contemplated between the clubhouse and turkey melt. The melt was good, but I think I would have been happier with the club. The french fries were crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Just how I like 'em. The waffle left a lot to be desired. In my mind, a waffle should be golden and crispy. The waffle they served looked half done and was very soft and squishy. I tasted it. My husband ate it, but I could tell he wasn't satisfied. Thankfully he had an egg and sausage on the side. The coffee supply was endless. So much so that I had to move my mug closer to the wall to avoid yet another refill. They don't offer whole milk, only 2%. That seems standard in restaurants in this area. I wish somewhere would offer whole milk (brownie points for real maple syrup and honey too). Service was friendly and attentive, but overall we weren't blow away by the food. We are not rushing to eat here again. read more

Paul's Restaurant - Turkey Melt - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Vancouver, Washington

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The fact that it was extremely clean. I mean clean clean clean, windows sparkled. Overrode any food. I didn't even concentrate on food. Menu was old fashioned coffee shop great. My waitress, Jackie was as experienced And as good as they come. Kept filling coffee well after check was delivered, a lost art. Thank you Jackie and great owner whomever you are.... read more

I kind of wish Yelp would let me give 2-1/2 stars. This review is based on one visit. I really wanted to like this place. It reminds me of Herb's in Grants Pass, an old school diner that's hard to find in NoPo. We walked in and received the best restaurant greeting so far this year. That's nice. Our server (I wish I knew her name to give her credit) was wonderful. Our breakfast was a mix of good and bad. The cup of coffee, overpriced at $2.25, was weak and limp. Never again. We were told the gravy was homemade. My wife is not convinced. I had a special that consisted of chicken fried steak with gravy, two eggs, hash browns and toast. This was reasonably priced at $8.75. Like a previous reviewer noted, the toast was low on butter; I almost couldn't tell which side had it. Also, the eggs were undercooked. I asked for over-medium and they were decidedly over-easy. Even some of the whites hadn't firmed up. The hash browns were piping hot, but the rest of the meal was merely warm. My wife had biscuits and gravy. She was very displeased. The biscuit she said was hard as a rock and the gravy was barely warm. Because of the overall experience, she said she's willing to give them another try, but she'll never order this dish again. The last bit of weirdness: I waited at the counter to pay. After the woman in front of me had been helped, the employee said, "I'll be back" and just walked away. I stood at the counter waiting to pay for a full minute before someone else finally stepped in to accept my payment. It was an awkward ending to an inconsistent experience. read more

I have never eaten here before, even though I have lived here most of my life, but my wife and I decided to try it, based on a recommendation of a friend. I also have never posted a Yelp review before, but feel compelled to share our truly awful experience, so others can avoid a repeat of it. Starting with me, I played it safe and ordered a medium-rare cheeseburger and fries. Wrong move. The cheeseburger came well-done and had absolutely no flavor at all. Worst burger I can recall having at a restaurant and I am not a kid anymore. The lettuce was wilted as well. I really should have sent it back but you never know what a mad cook might do on the replacement, so I soldiered through it. My wife ordered a fried chicken dinner with a salad. The salad never came (until she reminded the waitress when the meal plate was delivered - after a very long time) and she commented that the chicken was dry and reminded her of one of those Swanson TV dinners of yesteryear. Ouch. There were hardly any customers there besides us, which should have given us a clue. Bottom line is that we took one for the team this evening but hopefully this review will spare someone a similar experience. read more

I returned to Paul's because they have been consistently good, twice. Good enough for me to ignore the good restaurant, literally, across the street from my apartments and drive a couple miles. However, this third visit was less than decent. Waitress was good but she apparently works for the cooks not the owner because it didn't seem like she had any say if something wasn't cooked right. Like she deals with this attitude from the cook(s) all the time. That is the feeling I got anyway. Eggs were undercooked, I asked for crispy hashbrowns and they were far from it. Toast was cold, very dry and had VERY little "butter" on it and only in the middle. Bacon was served limp and greasy. I understand it is the 4th of July but damn put some love into your work or stay out of the kitchen. read more

What an odd experience at Paul's! 2 weeks ago, my partner and I checked out the restaurant only to have the poor customer service start at the front doors. We were greeted by employees in the back of the restaurant poking their heads out to see who entered, then hide away in kitchen. One service person came out to rush us to a table only to disappear for quite sometime. When our order was eventually taken, then food and coffee arrived to the table, we noticed food was good which was a redeeming factor. To end our dining experience, we were ready to pay our check with other patrons at the front register as we were directed What I found was the cherry on top of this experience, to be rudely told be a different service person that she was not going to seat anyone unless they are willing to wait a long time. Some of the waiting patrons who were hoping to pay their meal appeared to have just walked out at that point. We can only hope that it was just a bad day and that it's not their norm but with that odd experience, I don't think we'll be headed back anytime soon. read more

absoultely horrible the waiter was rude took us 20 minutes to order before it took another hour for it to come once the food came the people you got here before us had enogh and they walked flipping the waiter off pretty f in cool after our food finally came it was mid then it took 30 minute for the check oh and i mention the bathrooms worse than frankins high school some oldie was taking a crap in there and was grunting like the thing old people do after we left i spent 30 minutes on crapper horrbile just horrbile read more

The Bartender Tom was awesome !! And soup was super tasty , always a great time at Pauls elbow room.

Solid place. Ate breakfast here this morning. From the outside it looks like a little hole-in-the-wall diner. On the inside it looks the same. There is a old stale smell inside the restaurant. Kind of smells like a place that once had smoking inside, but hasn't for ten years. The look was classic. Had a typical American breakfast. Food and service were overall good. The breakfast food was fast coming and very tasty. They make their hash browns perfect there. I had a young lady with tattoos and short blonde hair service my table. She was great. Very friendly and always kept my cup full. I think I would have given it a five star if the stale smell did not exsist. I think some new carpet and cleaning would take care of that. read more

Paul's Restaurant - Eating at Paul's - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Vancouver, Washington

I went to Paul's with coworkers for breakfast and would definitely give it a thumbs up. Biscuits and gravy rocked. Very friendly service. Our waitress did a nice job. Simple place but sometimes simple is perfect! Will go back! read more

I had a pancake jones and needed to get my hands on something fluffy, sticky and sweet... I saw the reviews for Paul's and thought.. "Hey, that's just down the road from my house." My best guy and I rolled in around 11... IT WAS FREEZING in the restaurant, I mean like I had just walked into a meat locker.. it was only 63 degrees that day.. what's up with the air Paul?? The interior of the place is very old school, nothing fancy, but I'm not a prude, I'll take a good hole in the wall any day of the week. So we took a seat in our little booth and we waited.... and we waited... and waited... and waited... and.... well you get the idea. Our waitress was a total dipstick, when Paul chose her, I do believe he was not looking for the brightest crayon in the box. God love her, they have to be employed somewhere I guess so I'm not supporting them.. but let her work in the back room of a widget facory or something. She brings me my diet coke and after taking a couple of drinks I notice a dead fly floating on the top of my ice and I thought I was going to lose my breakfast before I even had it. When I finally got the waitress's attention, she never apologized she laughed and said.. ha ha ha, extra protein. When breakfast finally did get on the table, it reminded me very much of a truck stop breakfast... Sausage had that fakey kinda taste and was white in the middle, pancakes were cold which was not a surprise since I waited forever to get them. My breakfast company had the biscuits and gravy which we decided we would describe as floury... the taste just wasn't there, no real seasoning... nada.. Paul... who ever you are.. I'm breaking up with you.. I will never come back EVER. You can keep your flies and your cold nasty food and your dingy waitress and shove them where the sun don't shine. read more