I highly recommend Stepping Stone Cafe! We initially were looking for a place to have brunch and we stumbled upon this gem. The menu was full with lots of options to choose from. You definitely can't go wrong with anything on the menu. Waiter was welcoming and we were seated as soon as we came in the door. Definitely would come back again if ever I'm in town. Keep up the great food and service! read more

Stepping Stone Cafe - American Near Me - Portland, Oregon

I can't say how much I LOVE this place! The atmosphere, the people, the location, bloody Mary's and the FOOD! There might be a wait for weekend breakfast but it's worth it. read more

Stepping Stone Cafe - Bloody Mary's - American Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Good food... Hash browns were perfect!!! :) Pancake was huge! Great ambiance! Good service! Wait was about 30 min outside and cold. read more

Solid diner food. 'Relatively' reasonable prices. Friendly service. No complaints!- I'll return.

Best neighborhood cafe in Portland. I have been a customer for over 50 years. Their homemade breakfasts and service are sure to please. Love the huevos rancheros for $10! read more

This is only a review for their country fried steak. Love it, huge portions. I love breakfast food but this is the best thing on their menu. Lots of leftovers afterwards to take home. read more

Awesome food and fast service! Very nice and attentive to customers. Their biscuits and gravy will feed a whole village!

Great food, not so great service. Great prices, not so great lines to get in. The sometimes surly uninterested waitstaff aside, this is my second favorite spot in Portland for breakfast. The mancakes and especially the Banana Nut bread french toast are awesome. The omelettes are passable, but I have had better. The ambiance is not the greatest, but standard cafe decorations and during most weekdays and weekends it tends to have a line out the door during breakfast and brunch. But if you can get there on a good day and there is no line (or not much of one), and the waitstaff are in a decent mood, it is one of the best breakfasts you can find in Portland. read more

This has been one of my favorite places to go when I lived in the area. After three the faces have changed but the food and service are excellent. Had the one-eyed Jack Burger for dinner, with tots. Yes it was yummm. . . Matt was prompt with the menu, drinks, and getting my meal to me. Yes I hope things stay the same till I return on my next visit read more

We've been wanting to try this cute little, old school joint for years. Today we finally had a window of time to get in and we are so glad that we did. This is the kind of locals joint that makes you wish it was your own. The service was friendly - like hanging out with an old friend, not pretentious- and the food was AMAZING. I got the Chilaquiles, on the seasonal menu, and it was by far the best I've ever had. Literally, too good. My husband got the Corned Beef Hash, and his was also too good. The hollandaise was a nice touch and the potatoes were fresh and wonderfully seasoned. The coffee was great, as well. Additionally, we left with enough leftovers for two more meals. The price was such a value for the flavor, service and quality. We will be back again soon... Just trying to figure out the soonest we can get in. Thanks, Stepping Stones. read more

Stepping Stone Cafe - The BEST Chilaquiles I've ever had, with perfectly poached eggs. - American Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Oh my gosh, do I love this place! I am personally offended that it doesn't have a higher rating. First of all, breakfast all day, every day. That's actually hard to find these days! AND it's usually not that packed. In a city where brunch lines get insane, it's nice to have a place like this. Maybe it's because it's a little off the beaten path near NW 23rd, and people don't know about it. Second of all, their food is so tasty. Omelettes and scrambles are served with sliced potatoes and a huge portion of toast. They also have the best coffee in these huge mugs! Lately I have been ordering their Greek Scramble special, with chèvre (a fancy name for goat cheese, oooh classy), chicken sausage, basil and cherry tomatoes. It's amazing. They also have "mancakes" (big ol' pancakes), or if that's not manly enough for you, you can go for the "smothered badass." You'll have to go there to find out what that is. I was even excited to see they have a half of grapefruit on the menu! Prices are very reasonable. The service has always impressed me. The waiters we have had look really young and stoner-ish and you expect them not to be attentive, but they are. Waters are dropped right away and coffee refills aplenty. To some people, this place is probably a little divey, but if you ditch the overblown trendy brunch spots and give this place a try, you will be happy you did! read more

I can't tell you how much I love this place. Service is great, food is inexpensive yet still quality, and the diet coke just keeps on coming this is the best diner in town, IMO. read more

My all time favorite go to breakfast place! Bacon, avocado, and swiss omelet with a bloody mary, baby.

Stepping Stone Cafe's (SSC) motto: "You eat here because we let you." Now that sounds like an ambitious statement! Before I started Yelping, I was already into the "foodie" scene. In fact, SSC was my first brunch experience in Portland. The place was on my devour-list as I had seen an episode of Man vs. Food. [decor] A small diner, that's a bit run down and in need of a face lift. Quite cozy. Hustlin' and bustlin' on the weekends. Random items hung on the wall and displayed by the cash register. Lots of posters taped onto the windows. In fact, there's an autographed photo of Jerry Seinfield on their front door. [devour] ~~~ VISIT #1 ~~~ (October 2009 for breakfast) *MANCAKES ($8.50 for 3-stack; $6 for a short stack; $3.50 for single stack; **3 STARS**) - These are not your average-sized pancakes! They're ginormous (hence the name "man" cakes) and are probably about the same size as a 12-inch pizza. If you eat a single stack, it's good enough for at least 2-3 people. During my first visit here, it was a must order and I had shared the 3-stack with 6-7 other diners as a side dish. We still had plenty of left overs. Expect HUGE PORTIONS. ~~~ VISIT #2 ~~~ (July 2013 for dinner) *[special] PEANUT BUTTER BACON MANCAKE (single stack $3.50; **2 STARS**) - Although I'm not a fan of peanut butter with chocolate, I am a fan of peanut butter with other flavors. I thought it would be interesting to try the peanut butter and bacon mixed into a pancake. I enjoyed this combo from Killer Burger's "PB-Pickle-Bacon Burger". Unfortunately, this combo is only good on a burger and not on a pancake. I found the pancake quite dry. The bacon seemed to be the only good thing out of the dish. We slathered some maple syrup in order to make the "special" mancake bearable to eat. *ONION RINGS ($5; **3.5 STARS**) - were fried to a light-golden color. The sweet onions were beer-battered, which wasn't too shabby. Again expect large portions. I thought for five bucks, you got a good deal for this side-dish/appetizer. It wasn't bad nor was the best. It was smack dab in the middle. Good to share with friends. *CHICKEN FRIED STEAK ($10.50; **3 STARS**) - was okay. Nothing spectacular yet nothing amazing. It was something I thought would be delicious as I was reading the menu. The chicken fried steak was cooked well. It was engrossed with a lip-smacking, rich, sausage-gravy sauce. If you were a fat-ass, you'd just want the sausage gravy all on it's own (maybe add a biscuit). You can order the chicken fried steak as a breakfast or dinner version. I opted for dinner and it came with a side salad, steamed spinach, a slice of garlic toast (yum!) and a huge dollop of mash. Very filling, but apparently the breakfast version is much better (because you get eggs). If I were to have this dish again, I would go for the breakfast version. All in all, was a decent dish. (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/stepping-stone-cafe-portland?select=Dnn5pKFv7SgiJ1Iu888i0A#16cEh3GhJ1u30IE2fojrsw) *QUESADILLA ($7.50; **4 STARS**) - has an option of having it with chicken or chorizo. We chose CHORIZO and it was the best dish that was consumed on the table. After all, who can say no to a good piece of melted cheese on carbs (alongside with chopped greasy chorizo). This came with a side of salsa and sour cream. I wouldn't mind having this again (and again). (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/stepping-stone-cafe-portland?select=Dnn5pKFv7SgiJ1Iu888i0A#GawVrrHsY2Bls4zvCTZotA) FYI = -They use "cage-free" eggs -Parking on streets or nearby neighborhood streets (can be difficult) -Mancakes were featured on MAN vs. FOOD (Portland episode) -Divey bathrooms (watch your step! Ladies would need to watch out for TWO steps) -ONLY good for small groups (no more than 4; if you're party is larger than that, go here at an off hour like dinner) -CC's accepted -They do not split checks more than two ways (but if your server is nice, he can make separate checks for everyone; just give a heads up) -Memorabilia available (thongs, hoodies, t-shirts, and coffee mugs) -Automatic gratuity (18%) of parties 5 or more AND/OR if your food it ordered "to-go" -Different **special** mancake flavors offered each month -Expect a LONG WAIT on weekends (prime breakfast/brunch time) -Alcoholic beverages (bloody mary, mimosa, champagne, beer and wine) available until 9:30 PM -Lunch served 10:30 AM - close; Dinner served 5 PM - close -BREAKFAST IS SERVED ALL DAY, EVERY DAY Although SSC may amaze you with LARGE PORTIONS and CHEAP PRICES, the execution of the food is so-so in my book. After all, they are your local diner. I wouldn't say that they are the "best" for brunch or breakfast, but they are a decent option for something in the area. I wouldn't mind coming back here when there is no wait, as I do not think it is worth waiting in line for. Yelp 2013 100+ Reviews Challenge (going for 200!) - Review #156 read more

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I'm a pretty big fan of the Travel Channel show 'Man Vs. Food.' Such a simple and stupid premise, but I'm delighted every single time that charming, chubby dude sits down to perform yet another revolting gastronomical feat. I root for him every time. He basically has the world's most perfect job (assuming you can overlook lifelong cholesterol medication and inevitable bypass surgery), and I truly aspire to be someone who can actually eat a baby-sized burrito in under three hours. So when 'Man Vs. Food' hit Portland and the fat dude went to the Stepping Stone Cafe to check out some of those huge-ass pancakes they have, I was instantly sold. My girlfriend and I made three separate attempts to get a weekend table for breakfast, which apparently is a straight-up impossibility if you aren't willing to hang in there for an hour or more. Which we aren't. So after everyone in Portland died during the great heatwave of 2009, we decided to take advantage of all the empty restaurants and get some hubcap sized pancakes for dinner. Most people would balk at the idea of tackling a total carb-fest in 98 degree heat, but we just went swimming at Sauvie Island so it was OK. In a lot of ways, we felt just like Micheal Phelps, carbing up for the Olympic Games. But like, minus all the ab definition and swimming skills. The interior of the Stepping Stone Cafe is not what I had pictured. Given it's location just outside of the 'douche zone' of NW Portland (aka the Pearl District) I was anticipating something a little more high end, and a little less greasy spoon. But that's fine. If you squint your eyes it's almost like eating inside that little trolly-car diner in your old home town. Shitty Polaroids of locals/regulars on the wall and everything. There was one poor soul waiting tables, who was impossibly polite and friendly, despite the brutal temperature that had surely killed off all the other employees. In retrospect, I can't believe I actually considered getting a STACK of their garbage-can lid sized 'MANcakes.' They are not only very large in diameter, they are also very thick. And they are not only very thick, but they are actually very DECENT pancakes--easily as good as any other pancake in Portland. So when you consider that ONE very good $3 pancake can actually feed two full-grown adults (one of whom is an amateur food-challenge enthusiast), the inherent value of such a wonderful little cafe is clear. Since we aren't total animals, we also got a veggie burger with tater tots (super crispy and excellent) and a 'Doc's Special'--a mountain of egg whites and four slices of wheat toast in order to balance out all those carbs. Our entire bill came to a whopping 17 dollars. For two very hungry non-professional swimmers. And we couldn't even finish ONE pancake between us. That's awesome. read more

EARTH TO THE OWNER OF STEPPING STONE: All of your negative reviews are about your rude servers. Sorry to say, this one isn't any different. This was our third time coming to Stepping Stone and it will surely be our last. We were confused about the wording on the menu so when we asked the waiter about it he was extremely condescending. Then when he brought the check, he literally threw it on the table and walked away. Not a word. Sorry to inconvenience you with your job, Princess. Food is great. Service is absolutely terrible. Rudest waiters in Portland. Such a crying shame. And their slogan is "You eat here because we let you." Please. read more

What a hidden gem! It is tucked away in the NW neighborhood and I'm glad my boyfriend stumbled upon it. I had the chicken scramble and my boyfriend had the Belgian waffle. DELICIOUS. Fresh ingredients, friendly staff and great coffee. Definitely going to make this place a staple when visiting PDX! read more

(NOTE: My video link featuring the stack of mancakes has been updated, so it should work again) For the last couple of months, I've attempted to channel my own freak-eating panda, and potential has surfaced. For example, the failed peanut butter burger attempt at Rock Rest in Colorado was not from capacity overload, but flavor fatigue, heaviness, and a lack of mental toughness. My friend Roger came along to attempt the challenge with me. A third person who wanted to try the mancakes had to work at the last minute. Oh well, onward we go! I didn't want flavor fatigue to strike the death blow this time, so I got a side of bacon with my mancakes. I had Powerade Zero at the ready, if I needed it. When the stack arrived, I was hoping for extremely fluffy pancakes, since they looked puffy and gorgeous. When I cut into the mancakes, I needed to put in work to saw it with my butterknife. They were also tearing in a way that evoked rubbery, chewy qualities. I hadn't started eating, and I already knew this would be a fight. I'm horrible in guessing how much these three mancakes collectively weighed. Each mancake also retained a bit of lightness, so it could have been worse. My strategy was to come flying out of the gates, using as little syrup as possible. If I needed to add any condiments, then I wanted it to feel like a treat, not some "not this again" thought racing through my brain. I ate the first mancake in 2:52. I ate the center portion of the mancakes, then focused on one half. The equivalent of two mancakes exterminated at the 8:45 mark. Then, the flavor wall hit. But mancakes fear bacon. It's serious Kryptonite to the starchy, boring flavor virtually all pancakes possess. Food wall tries to crush panda. Panda pulls a John Cena and does some superhuman feat to keep going. Feel free to have the adult males boo and the ladies/kids cheer. But it's hard to boo bacon. The third mancake was easily the hardest, but it went down at 29:45. Yup, 21 minutes to eat the last 12" mancake after dispatching the first one in less than three minutes. I ate it at a leisurely pace anyway, talking with my friend for much of the time. It's still a win for man, my first quantity challenge win anywhere. I'll be building a bacon shrine, because meat crack was the MVP there to pull me through. I wasn't real full afterward, more like a fluffy content panda. Yeah, try envisioning that one. Video of me eating the mancakes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCHQP_xOVv8 My friend made a little dent, but ultimately bowed out. Still gotta give him credit for trying. The mancakes were OK. Nice and piping hot off the flattop, but I would otherwise seek out some extra fluffy pancakes elsewhere. To be fair, larger pancakes are probably more at risk of being chewy and rubbery anyway. The service was much better than my last visit, so that by itself increases the rating. A friend told me that the old challenge was to eat the stack of three mancakes PLUS a Smothered Badass omelet. An impossible feat for me, but I honestly may order that Smothered BA next time. But I'm always wary of the specials. If there are some real awesome ones on the board, I might have to go that route instead. read more

When you are drunk or just had plenty of alcohol beverages and you are hungry for greasy breakfast food, Stepping Stone Cafe will be your best friend. I like their Chicken Fried Steak. It was decent. Nothing special, but it's not bad. I guess when it's 3 am and I'm buzzed, my standard of great meals will drop drastically. It's all the alcohol talking and judging. Service was alright and if you are not a big fan of loud music, maybe you should avoid this place. They play their stereo loud, I guess to keep them awake so they can serve your biscuits and gravy and other breakfast dishes. Come here for really late night breakfast or really early breakfast so you don't have to fight to get seated like those other normal breakfast eating people. read more

I love Stepping Stone for a few reasons. a) The employees are real human beings that can talk to you without a fake customer service smile plastered on their face b) The food rules c) I like the bathroom because it feels like you're pooping in the comfort of your own home. And what better feeling is there than that? read more

I'm one of those who saw it on Man vs. Food and decided to give The Stepping Stone a try. We waited in the drizzle for about 30 minutes before getting a booth tucked away in the back near the kitchen. The decor was kitschy and dirty, but what does one expect in Portland? The service was horrible and we waited 10 minutes or so for someone to come by and ask us what we wanted to drink. We ordered our food with our drinks and waited. Michael Jackson blared over the speakers as the crazy network of baubles moved above our heads as the door opened and closed. Our meal finally arrived: a man cake and omelet. The man cake was all hype and no taste while the omelet was not thoroughly cooked. Eeww. We were in the middle of our mediocre meal when I noticed something in the kitchen; a *huge* can of gravy. Now, I recalled a customer in the MvF episode touting the excellence of the gravy at the Stepping Stone and here I was looking at an industrial sized can of the stuff sitting on the counter in the kitchen. wow. Really? They're serving their customers canned gravy? Is it *that* hard to make some kick-ass gravy from scratch? I guess so. We went with an open mind and wound up completely disgusted. Boo! What a disappointment! read more

My fiance and I were really excited about this place, but after our breakfast, we were VERY disappointed, especially after waiting awhile outside. The whole atmosphere is gross. The waiters wear ripped clothes, short shorts, (and may I add, on guys) and look like they haven't brushed their hair. Our waiter was very rude. He brought out my fiance's food before me, and I had to wait another 10 minutes before mine was brought out. I ordered the Belgian waffle, and it was mediocre. We asked for ice in our drinks and said they had run out. Who runs out of ice? After our check came and we were about to leave, he asked if we wanted ice. what?! We also saw our waiter drink orange juice out of the gallon sized container. ew. Overall it was a bad experience. I do not recommend it! read more

A delicious array of omelet options. No wait, cinnamon roll french toast? Or how about a blueberry MANCAKE? How does one decide? Luckily for me, each one of these items was ordered in my party and I was able to try all 3! My omelet was delicious and filling. The cinnamon roll french toast - well, let's just say it didn't last long! And the mancake, well it's given that name for a reason! It's enormous! If you can manage to eat a stack of 3, you'll get you're picture on the wall of shame, but eating just 1 is a feat in itself! And even though this freak-of-nature pancake is abnormally large, it still tasted delicious! Be sure to get there early or be ready to wait. The place is small and seems to fill up quickly. Once you're in, though, service is fast and friendly. The prices are great too, averaging about $6 per item. Definitely worth checking out if you're craving a good breakfast! read more

Wooah, for a place with such a lofty attitude about their food ("You eat here because we let you!!"), Stepping Stone has a ways to go to improve before I would consider recommending them to friends as a good place for breakfast. I met two friends here for breakfast this morning. Knowing it was a popular breakfast spot, I figured that like most popular Portland breakfast spots, this place would have a waiting list and coffee to accompany it. When I arrived, I didn't immediately see a list or a coffee table outside, so I went in to grab a table. No one greeted me, in fact a couple of servers walked right past me standing in the doorway expectantly, so I assumed it was a more casual "seat yourself" kind of place. After watching me walk around with a lost look on my face looking for an empty table, a guy at the counter finally greeted me: "What's up?" Uh, just here to check out your fabulously filthy ceiling? What do you think is up? I said I was looking for a place to sit, and another guy passing by brusquely said, "There's a waiting list here, but it's short right now." No mention of where it was. I did another lap inside trying to find the list before giving up and heading back outside. As I was calling my friends to suggest maybe finding a different place to eat, I saw the fabled list: leaning against a window on the side of the building. Okay, so after all of that, the server was nice to us, kept our coffee refilled and we got our food pretty quickly. Not gonna lie: the food was good. Not good enough to ever wait in line outside for or pay $15 per person for (including tip) again, but if you've got some friends that just OMG HAVE to go to the place that was on Man Vs. Food, you'll at least end up with a decent meal. read more

Was told to go here for breakfast. Checked out the menu online and considered doing a togo order until I saw that they will charge an 18% gratuity on togo orders. EFF YOU VERY MUCH!!! Went here with a friend for brunch and was told to wait outside, though there were several open tables and over half the seats at the counter were open. Couldn't even get coffee while we waited outside in the cold rain. The awning barely covered our heads. WILL NEVER ATTEMPT TO EAT HERE AGAIN!!! I agree with all reviewers who said the staff would much rather be cool than give good service. At least Beesaws has plenty of umbrellas to cover waiting patrons outside and free coffee while you wait. read more

So, I used to go to the Stepping Stone every morning. The place had an atmosphere that I loved -- the regulars and the staff there were great. Then, after a couple years as a customer, I started working there -- first as a busboy, and then as a server. I got to see things from the other side of the counter. The success or failure of the Stepping Stone is all dependent on expectations. If you come into the place on a weekday, and nestle into the counter -- you're social, good spirited, friendly, and maybe patient, then the place is going to suit you. The staff will treat you well, and you'll enjoy the experience and the food. If however, you come in with expectations of high speed service, an attitude, and a disrespect for the establishment, then the staff is going to hate you and treat you like crap. That's just the way it is. The staff of the Stepping Stone treats the restaurant like their home. If you come into their home and put on an aloof attitude, ask for stuff not on the menu, and have no sense of humour, then the Staff is going to "wish they had never invited you over." It's worth noting that the weekends are a LOUSY time to judge the place. The high demand has made weekend brunches disappointing for everyone involved. Customers have long waits, because the restaurant is small, the staff is overworked, the kitchen is struggling to keep up, and ultimately no one is happy. Ultimately, the stress of those weekend days (I worked both Saturday & Sunday) were too much for me, and I quit a couple years back, but I still drop in for Breakfast during the week from time to time. Do yourself a favor, and go there on a lazy Tuesday, bring the crossword, and strike up a conversation with someone else at the counter. That's how the Stepping stone should be experienced. read more

Oh, awful I'll never go back. Been here probably 10-15 times, then this last visit truly sickend me. They seem to have just stopped caring, There was cobwebs everywhere, ants crawling on table and fruit flies all over the wall. Service was horrendous, asked multiple times for beverages and they would keep forgetting, this isn't the place that was on man vs food anymore they have let it slide. Upon leaving there was apparently maple syrup on the booth so of course my pants were smeared on the way out the door . Will not be returning. read more

"......eyeeeeeeeeeee'm not your stepping stone...." (remember this Monkees hit? no? punk kid). Anyway, I'm not your stepping stone, but neither is the Stepping Stone my choice for a burger. The place gained a bit of notoriety last year, when that slob of a television host, Adam Richman, showed up to down some "mancakes." If there is ever anybody that can get me to switch off the Travel Channel, it's Richman's Hour of Gluttony Program. It'd be more interesting if they show all the times he's hurled, I think. So I guess you get famous for one thing, you could give a rat's about others, and it seems that if you are going to Stepping Stone, breakfast is the thing, with huge portions, if that's your bailiwick. BTW, Stepping Stone's slogan is "You eat here because we let you." Guess that's right, because I won't be back for the food or service. The burgers? The menu states that they are serving 1/3 pound chuck burgers, cooked to medium, and dressed with lettuce, tomato, mayo, and onion. Comes with fries or tater salad, opt for o-rings for two bucks extra, and I did, after quizzing the waitress on whether or not they were made in house. I ordered the bacon cheeseburger, boy A took my order, presumably gave it to the kitchen, and disappeared for a half hour. This is only significant because boy B was apparently only in charge of busing dishes and filling creamers, and not allowed to touch prepped food. This left the one waitress taking care of a full house, and while she was adept at handing out bills and taking money, she also didn't seem to be interested in delivering food. How do I know this? Somebody gave the cook a bell for Christmas, and it dinged with ferocity every couple minutes. At one point, boy B said "ring it again, see what happens!" Apparently nothing. I watched as several orders piled up on the counter (including my own),and although waitress 1 and boy B walked by the food many times (boy A was still awol), neither of them lifted a finger to deliver the goods. I am relatively sure this made the cook VERY happy. She probably tries her best in an under-equipped kitchen, using the materials she is dealt, to deliver the best plates that she can. One would imagine in her mind that these creations would best be delivered hot, but maybe not. Boy B reappeared, Boy A disappeared, but somehow my plate got put in front of me. Nice bun, big rings (not sure 4 rings are worth $2 extra), and a pedantic looking hamburger, with a dollop of mayo, the promised tomatoes and onions, Tillamook Cheddar all melty and gooey-goody, and crispy bacon (no word on the menu as to whose bacon this is). And really? There ends the story. This burger was pressed in an assembly line somewhere, the vegetables were lifeless, and they used a hypodermic needle to squeeze out a gram of mayo (not that I cared about that). The burger wasn't particularly seasoned, so there was really nothing to stand out, save the soft bakery roll. While the rings were large, and the breading was "OK," there was also no unique seasoning here, and any crispness the rings may have had coming out of the fryer undoubtedly dissipated while the food was sitting on the counter being ignored by the servers. Seriously, is this place on anyone's "top burgers in Portland" list? If so, where do you usually get your burgers, Wendy's? Was there anything of note about my experience today? Yep, made great progress on my Sunday NYT puzzle, and I ate before my hypnotherapy session, which I was able to direct into helping me forget the entire meal. Where did I go again? read more

I'm upgrading to "Yay! I'm a fan" and I'm adding a star to my first review. Since my original visit I've returned a few more times. On my next visit I once again ordered the Denial and once again I enjoyed it. I also seriously enjoyed the BFK they serve from their "Drank" menu. (Tip, when ordering make sure to indicate if you would like it hot or iced, if you don't you can sit back and enjoy the surprise, either way it will taste great and be strong!) For the most recent visit I ordered something from their special menu, Spinach, Jack and Bacon Scramble served with Potatoes and Toast, I opted to spend an extra 50 cents. OMG the Biscuit deserved it's own table, it was not only the largest Biscuit I've personally seen, it was a very good biscuit. The prices are certainly reasonable and the staff is always nice and friendly. The music is loud and the decor is fun and surprising. Make sure you check out the message on the Shirts and Underwear they sell, wink, wink. read more

We stopped by one of Portland's busiest breakfast joints for dinner last week. Hidden on the corner of Quimby and NW 24th is a quiet neighborhood diner featuring delicious, home cooked, rib sticking food. Diners must all be eclectic and Stepping Stone Cafe earned their certificate of eclectic-ity. The hanging ceiling doodads are connected to the door by string, so that whenever the door opens the doodads move up. Our group enjoyed the Chicken Fried Steak dinner, Cobb Salad and Macaroni and Cheese. The Macaroni and Cheese wasn't as much of a hit as we'd expected, but all the other entrees were not to be missed. In addition, we recommend their in-house blue cheese salad dressing and mint flavored ice tea. Our dinner server was attentive, knowledgeable and friendly. The food deserves a four, but it's the service that pushed this place to a five-stars hit. We had a wonderful dining experience and would recommend Stepping Stone to friends in a heartbeat; that is if I have one left after eating Chicken Fried Steak. read more

Wow I was so surprised by this place! Very small but the food was amazing. I loved what I ordered. Sometimes breakfast can be greasy and mine was not at all which I appreciated. I can't wait to go back read more

Stepping Stone Cafe - American Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Food was cold when we got it, and boring. Tried a second time, same result. The sever was nice, but you would think that if you told them your eggs were cold they would make an offer, nope. So many other breakfast joints in Portland, this one can be avoided. I don't care how big the food is, if it comes cold, it's still cold. Regards, Wont come back read more

My family had been dying to eat at Stepping Stone Café after seeing it on Man vs. Food, we went on Mother's Day & fully expected to have to wait, which we did, outside in the rain. The food was great, but I thought it was weird that my boyfriend and our daughter were served food 10 minutes before me (the mother on Mother's Day, go figure). But the food was great, so we decided to go back today, the wait was even longer today & even though there was a waiting list, somehow people still managed to walk up after us, walk in & just sit at a table, weird right? That wasn't even the worse part of it. My boyfriend order the chicken fried steak, which he absolutely loved the last time & as soon as the plate was set down we noticed the eggs had a huge black hair laying right on the top. When he mentioned it, one of the waiters came took his plate to the back, picked the hair off & brought the plate back. Gross. There was no apology, no discount, no nothing. Our waitress was busy talking to her one of her friends to notice that all our drinks needed replenished. Finally, we raised our hands and asked, if we could get some more soda, she asked what we were drinking & walked away, about 20 minutes later, she came & grabbed our glasses, asked us again what we were drinking, then went & filled our glasses up. Needless to say, no matter how great the food may taste, we wont be going back. We could look past many things, because like I said the food is great, but the black hair & just picking it off is just disgusting, I mean we could have picked it off just the same, but there was some expectation that maybe it would have been replaced, which would happen in any decent food establishment. read more

HORRIBLE ALL AROUND!!! First we wait outside (it's freezing) for 20 minutes, then we go into the restaurant and it's dirty, dingy, and gross. We get served water at room temperature (no ice) by the busboy who has the worst B.O.! I understand there is a hippy vibe with this restaurant but it is still a business, try a shower! We wait 10 minutes for someone to take our order, nothing. The waitress then rings someone up and grabs a coffee pot/water pitcher and refills the entire restaurants drinks while we wait to have our order taken (going on 15 min now). We ask for a coke and coffee and she brings two coffees. Then our food arrives and I ask for jam, it is one flavor served from a community container (gross!). The food was alright but I could have gotten the same thing (prob. better) at Denny's for a third of the price. AVOID THIS DISASTER!!! The service is completely horrible at best. read more

Saw this place featured on Man vs. Food so I had to check it out. I'm a huge country fried steak fan and this place did not disappoint. Light and crispy and big on flavor. With the extra country gravy I got on the side, I was in heaven. Service was great and everyone was very friendly. The atmosphere is fun and carefree. I especially liked the sign that let all patrons know that there was free gum underneath the stools and tables. I'd definitely recommend this place to anyone. One thing I should note is that when you arrive, there is nobody to take your name inside. Instead, you need to sign in on a list that's placed outside. read more

One word and one acronym: Smothered B.A.!! It's a 3-egg omelette loaded with country fried chicken, cheese, jalepeno peppers, and topped with a homemade country gravy with sausage! This omelette was massive and very yummy! On the flip side, the Mancake made famous by The Food Network was bigger than my head but lacked any real good flavor. It was very dense and didn't have that fluffines which makes a pancake. This was my third visit to Stepping Stone Cafe and it definitely won't be my last. The food has always been great, consistent, and the service has always been good. Good: Smothered B.A. no doubt! Portion size for price Service Not so good: Usually long wait for table (sucks when it's 30 degrees out!) Mancake was overhyped read more

So the pancakes really are the size of a stepping stone. But that doesn't make them better, for me they were good but just a little too fluffy, almost like eating a sweet quick bread. The cinnamon roll french toast that my daughter ordered were so yummy she had to beat me off with her fork. Let's talk about the savorys though, that is were it gets even better. I had the Tichenor's Choice, sauteed mushrooms, cheese, and hashbrowns, can you say YUM! My mom and husband both had the chx fried steak. We are talking massive hunks of tasty meat. The atmosphere is pretty PDX funky but I liked that. Our waiter was very funny . I especially liked their bobbing Christmas ornaments, it kept the kids entertained until the food arrived. Which arrived in a flash. read more

Anytime I see an establishment make an appearance on the Food Network/Travel Channel, the cynic in me senses a conspiracy. I picture backroom payments in exchange for 15 seconds of fame that isn't always deserved. Stepping Stone Cafe certainly fits this profile, since Man vs. Food is largely responsible for its notoriety outside of the Portland area. On a recent vacation, we dropped by. I wasn't impressed with my first glance at the menu. A solid breakfast lineup to be sure, but other than the cliche mancake selections, nothing really stood out. Service was typical of a diner and the cleanliness was so-so (a couple ants on the table). I went with standard breakfast faire, including a requisite mancake. The initial vision of a mancake sitting on the table induces shock and awe, but so does actually taking a bite, which was unexpected. The sausage, breakfast potatoes, and eggs are delicious as well. The "you eat here because we let you" motto that adorns the menus is laughable, but accurately describes the workers at this joint, who almost hold you in contempt for asking for an iced tea refill. Luckily, I'm not that sensitive. read more

It's only obvious enough that while in Portland, you must do as the Portlanonianins or whatever they call themselves? Since I don't know anyone there, I use Yelp, TripAdvisor and FOOD TV! to help guide adventures. Well, I guess my sister planned the trip, but whatever. Same thing applies. I was honestly a little adverse to trying Stepping Stone since I read so many 'mediocre' food reviews, and complaints upon the wait staff. Well, they were pretty much all wrong -- at least, completely so compared to my experience. We got to the cafe, wrote our name on the list, and proceeded to wait. Once our name was called, we were sat in a back room and our very friendly waiter showed up with some water and silverware. After a few minutes of perusing the menu, we ordered and bombarded the waiter with an attack of questions, all of which he was happy to answer. We decided upon the Smother B.A., the eggs benedict, the cinnamon bun french toast, and one bluberry mancake. We had to go with at least one mancake -- my justification is this. I'm a man. I love being a man. I love cake. Therefor, based on all the math courses I've taken: love of being a man + love of cake = love of mancake! The food all came out in a reasonable amount of time and all was very good. The staff was really good at refilling my water glass, which since you don't know me, I need to let you know I put camels to shame and drain my glass the moment its refilled. I'd definitely suggest checking out Stepping Stone Cafe! Oh, and if you complain that its small and cramped, you suck. Its a small cafe that is popular -- thats a good thing, not a bad. Go to McDonalds if its an issue, ya space greedy tourist! read more

BA omelet, I build a shrine to Thee. I shall burn incense and pour a little wine out, to appease the gods, in deference to and exultation of Thee.. Fooled around on different trips to the Stone, ordering various plates and entrees and enjoying them, each one: chicken fried steak this, meat lover's scramble that, &c, until stumbling upon the BA one happy day (night, that is!). Then I realized you really could have it all, and right there in one big, messy, gravy-coated dream. MMMMMMMMMMM. Sausage gravy. Breakfast foods, morning, noon and nights! MMMMMMMM! I love that the Stepping Stone is off the beaten path a little bit. The nonstop freak parade that has become NW 23rd has made traveling that strip way more trouble than it's worth, about 16 hours of the day. Enter Stepping Stone's nontraditional schedule, opened super late on Weekends! I might just have to start signing up to work some more graveyard shifts @ Good Sam. I suddenly don't care that their cafeteria is closed on graveyard... As to their snooty patooty little motto "You eat here b/c we let you," this would be precious if spontaneously uttered by a young child... but as a business slogan? Really? Did the owner's sassy teenage daughter come up with that, or ??? I take it w/the requisite grain of salt, as one hopes it was intended to be taken.... But take no umbrage, dearhearts @ the Stepping Stone, just keep on churning out the BAs, and we will keep humoring you and your silly little slogans.... read more