We had a table for five adults and a baby in a high chair for brunch on Mother's Day. We all loved the menu and the open air to the sidewalk. It was handy to have abundant free parking in the Roosevelt Park and Ride lot nearby.
Fish
We took our moms here for Mother's Day breakfast. Because we had a reservation, we were promptly seated. Of course, the restaurant was full, but the noise level was quite unpleasant. They even had the garage doors open and the noise-dampening units hanging from the ceiling the noise level, but we couldn't hear each other at all. Also, my mom and I sat on the wooden bench and it was very uncomfortable. After less than an hour, my mom had to stand up because her seat bones were hurting. Please add cushions! Everyone really enjoyed their breakfast, but I don't think we'll return for next Mother's Day.
B1949
I ordered the crab cake salad and was very disappointed. The crab cake was the size of a golf ball. For $20, there should have been more crab. Also, the noise level is beyond reasonable. I love Portage Bay, but not this location.
Oscar A Palomino
Luciano was my server and he did an amazing job explaining the menu to me and all the good stuff that the restaurant had. The food was amazing as well and "the bar" is full of options to make your pancakes even better, I genuinely loved that! If I'm ever in town again, I'll definitely come back for more.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Rancher's Breakfast, Pancakes
Jordan Šrámek
I met friends here for 10am Sunday brunch. Place was positively hopping. Food was yummy. The huevos rancheros was particularly good; the side potatoes were perfectly cooked, but far too salty. Plenty of veg and gluten-free options, which was nice to see/experience.I suppose you could call the service hands-off, but it actually felt like we were ignored…that is until it was time to turn the table. Two people abruptly approached us and asked if we needed boxes (we weren’t done with our food). We sheepishly agreed, saying that we would probably need them later. Within seconds, a bill appeared and we never saw the server again.The noise level in this place was close to unbearable. The more people came, the louder it got. And when you can’t hear, you talk louder. The ceilings are high, and they had the music cranked, which seemed ridiculous. We were straining to hear each other, at the point of quite actually having to shout. So, while the food was great, the experience was awful. And at $100 for a 3-person brunch, I’ll take my biz elsewhere.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 4
Service: 2
RM D
This was just ok. Based on reviews I thought it would be so much better. The French toast had a strange texture and burnt taste. Bacon way too peppery. Pancakes small compared to other area breakfast places. The berry bar was nice but not enough to make up for the rest, and what's with the canned pears and peaches? This place is expensive for what we got. Good strong coffee though.
JayK
The food was great as usual, and the service was really good as well. The table was too close to the bussing station and dish area of the kitchen and the noise level was simply too high. They should remove the outer most tables, because I have a hard time imagining anyone having a good experience at those tables. I will definitely go back, but I am a bit weary of getting seated in those tables.
CarBar
This was our second visit within a week while vacationing in Seattle. The swedish crepes are phenomenal. Eggs and potatoes superlative. The berry bar is amazing. We sat outside and enjoyed the warming heater and blankets. Food came fast. We love this place.
Elliot Smith
There is a video on youtube of the employees of Portage Bay Cafe on South Lake Union st repeatedly harassing, intimidating, threatening, and physically assaulting a photographer on the sidewalk. These employees are violent and dangerous. See attached pictures of only a couple of the many employees involved in the mob attack.
Jennifer Wyatt
This is one of the best brunch restaurants in Seattle. Fresh and tasty egg dishes along with a pancake bar where you can choose from fruit, granola, and whipped cream. My favorite feature of Portage Bay is that you can substitute fresh fruit or a crisp salad for the usual potatoes. During this visit, the honey wheat toast was dry with only one pat of butter for a big piece. I had the Seattle Benedict, which is poached eggs topped with hollandaise on an English muffin. It was perfect! They serve Caffe Vita, the best coffee in Seattle. Portage Bay is my first choice for brunch.
Great food, organic menu with vegan options. Coffee is full body not bitter.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Kim Z.
Came here for brunch on the weekend. Definitely reserve beforehand - they get very busy! The whole place was packed and bustling.We ordered the classic pancakes and uli's spicy sausage scramble. The portions are MASSIVE! The pancakes come with a trip to the fruit bar, and the fruits are so fresh and sweet! The scramble is three eggs, and loaded with so much tasty sausage and onion and other condiments! The salad is very big and fresh, and the toast is so good as well! I need to emphasize again how large the portions are!The grapefruit juice is very fresh as well! And the coffee is pretty good (and comes with free refills!) The servers are very kind and friendly and the overall ambience is very warm and welcoming. Due to the large volume of people, it does get pretty chatty inside !
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Conscious Choices Coaching
Very delicious and healthy food and very friendly staff. Thank
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Hannah C
Great American breakfast with a nice variety of fresh and simple food. Portage Bay will remind of you a typical breakfast spot that’s slightly more upscale. They have a berry bar where you can add toppings to a selection of dishes. Each dish will leave you full and, considering the price, you should expect to enjoy the food. I recommend the Seattle Benedict for newcomers and the Ranchers breakfast for those who are looking for a lot to eat. Their wait times vary so I recommend reserving a space before going in to save on time. There are also multiple Portage Bays in Seattle so I recommend this spot on 65th if you’re just looking for food. Head to a different location (south lake union) if you’re looking for one thing to do before/after eating.
Tammy L Todd
I've never seen EMPLOYEES be able to get away with attacking a man on the "PUBLIC SIDEWALK" for video taping, however I hope your business has suffered for their actions! Where was the manager and why did he/she allow those "THUGS" to act like unprofessional jerks! It's a good thing I wasn't there, things would've gotten real bad, real quick! Every employee on duty that day should have been ARRESTED and FIRED! I hope it was worth it!
We had a table for five adults and a baby in a high chair for brunch on Mother's Day. We all loved the menu and the open air to the sidewalk. It was handy to have abundant free parking in the Roosevelt Park and Ride lot nearby.
We took our moms here for Mother's Day breakfast. Because we had a reservation, we were promptly seated. Of course, the restaurant was full, but the noise level was quite unpleasant. They even had the garage doors open and the noise-dampening units hanging from the ceiling the noise level, but we couldn't hear each other at all. Also, my mom and I sat on the wooden bench and it was very uncomfortable. After less than an hour, my mom had to stand up because her seat bones were hurting. Please add cushions! Everyone really enjoyed their breakfast, but I don't think we'll return for next Mother's Day.
I ordered the crab cake salad and was very disappointed. The crab cake was the size of a golf ball. For $20, there should have been more crab. Also, the noise level is beyond reasonable. I love Portage Bay, but not this location.
Luciano was my server and he did an amazing job explaining the menu to me and all the good stuff that the restaurant had. The food was amazing as well and "the bar" is full of options to make your pancakes even better, I genuinely loved that! If I'm ever in town again, I'll definitely come back for more.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Rancher's Breakfast, Pancakes
I met friends here for 10am Sunday brunch. Place was positively hopping. Food was yummy. The huevos rancheros was particularly good; the side potatoes were perfectly cooked, but far too salty. Plenty of veg and gluten-free options, which was nice to see/experience.I suppose you could call the service hands-off, but it actually felt like we were ignored…that is until it was time to turn the table. Two people abruptly approached us and asked if we needed boxes (we weren’t done with our food). We sheepishly agreed, saying that we would probably need them later. Within seconds, a bill appeared and we never saw the server again.The noise level in this place was close to unbearable. The more people came, the louder it got. And when you can’t hear, you talk louder. The ceilings are high, and they had the music cranked, which seemed ridiculous. We were straining to hear each other, at the point of quite actually having to shout. So, while the food was great, the experience was awful. And at $100 for a 3-person brunch, I’ll take my biz elsewhere.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 4
Service: 2
This was just ok. Based on reviews I thought it would be so much better. The French toast had a strange texture and burnt taste. Bacon way too peppery. Pancakes small compared to other area breakfast places. The berry bar was nice but not enough to make up for the rest, and what's with the canned pears and peaches? This place is expensive for what we got. Good strong coffee though.
The food was great as usual, and the service was really good as well. The table was too close to the bussing station and dish area of the kitchen and the noise level was simply too high. They should remove the outer most tables, because I have a hard time imagining anyone having a good experience at those tables. I will definitely go back, but I am a bit weary of getting seated in those tables.
This was our second visit within a week while vacationing in Seattle. The swedish crepes are phenomenal. Eggs and potatoes superlative. The berry bar is amazing. We sat outside and enjoyed the warming heater and blankets. Food came fast. We love this place.
There is a video on youtube of the employees of Portage Bay Cafe on South Lake Union st repeatedly harassing, intimidating, threatening, and physically assaulting a photographer on the sidewalk. These employees are violent and dangerous. See attached pictures of only a couple of the many employees involved in the mob attack.
This is one of the best brunch restaurants in Seattle. Fresh and tasty egg dishes along with a pancake bar where you can choose from fruit, granola, and whipped cream. My favorite feature of Portage Bay is that you can substitute fresh fruit or a crisp salad for the usual potatoes. During this visit, the honey wheat toast was dry with only one pat of butter for a big piece. I had the Seattle Benedict, which is poached eggs topped with hollandaise on an English muffin. It was perfect! They serve Caffe Vita, the best coffee in Seattle. Portage Bay is my first choice for brunch.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Seattle Benedict
Restaurantji Recommends
Great food, organic menu with vegan options. Coffee is full body not bitter.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Came here for brunch on the weekend. Definitely reserve beforehand - they get very busy! The whole place was packed and bustling.We ordered the classic pancakes and uli's spicy sausage scramble. The portions are MASSIVE! The pancakes come with a trip to the fruit bar, and the fruits are so fresh and sweet! The scramble is three eggs, and loaded with so much tasty sausage and onion and other condiments! The salad is very big and fresh, and the toast is so good as well! I need to emphasize again how large the portions are!The grapefruit juice is very fresh as well! And the coffee is pretty good (and comes with free refills!) The servers are very kind and friendly and the overall ambience is very warm and welcoming. Due to the large volume of people, it does get pretty chatty inside !
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Very delicious and healthy food and very friendly staff. Thank
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Great American breakfast with a nice variety of fresh and simple food. Portage Bay will remind of you a typical breakfast spot that’s slightly more upscale. They have a berry bar where you can add toppings to a selection of dishes. Each dish will leave you full and, considering the price, you should expect to enjoy the food. I recommend the Seattle Benedict for newcomers and the Ranchers breakfast for those who are looking for a lot to eat. Their wait times vary so I recommend reserving a space before going in to save on time. There are also multiple Portage Bays in Seattle so I recommend this spot on 65th if you’re just looking for food. Head to a different location (south lake union) if you’re looking for one thing to do before/after eating.
I've never seen EMPLOYEES be able to get away with attacking a man on the "PUBLIC SIDEWALK" for video taping, however I hope your business has suffered for their actions! Where was the manager and why did he/she allow those "THUGS" to act like unprofessional jerks! It's a good thing I wasn't there, things would've gotten real bad, real quick! Every employee on duty that day should have been ARRESTED and FIRED! I hope it was worth it!