Hawthorne Street Cafe, Portland, Oregon Restaurant Details

Food:

The food is great. Definitely try the home brewed Persian tea (just ask for it). The eggplant breakfast special is also delicious, a Persian specialty, but so are the omelets and the other items. The herb cream cheese omelet is my favorite. The service is excellent and there is almost never a line which makes it ideal for weekends.

Food:

My partner and I were hoping to eat at Umai PDX cart on SE Hawthorne at 33rd after it had been ranked the #1 new food cart of the year by The Oregonian, but they were closed for the 4th. We decided to try something new in the area and that's how we found Hawthorne Street Cafe.

There was no line and only a few diners inside. We heard a man yelling from the tornado struck kitchen to the one waitress. The waitress seemed disoriented and brand new. I swear I thought I'd see Gordon Ramsay and the Kitchen Nightmares camera crew hiding around the corner.

When our food came we were both immediately disappointed. I had the artichoke and bacon omelette. There was no artichoke and lots of dry mushrooms. The only high point was the Swiss cheese. He ordered a quesadilla thinking, "How can anyone screw up melted cheese on a tortilla?" The cook managed to destroy it with his microwave. Even the iced tea tasted like fish tank water.

I posted the following update on my Foursquare check-in, "I keep expecting @GordonRamsay to swear/yell something from the kitchen. This place could be on @KNonFox [Kitchen Nightmares]," and heard within seconds from another table: "Gordon Ramsay would have a field day."

While most of the online reviews praise the owner/cook for how he says "I love you" to all of his customers, that does not make up for horrific food and neglectful service. If I could give this place negative stars, I would.

Food:

Love this place! I've been coming here for years and nothing I've ordered has ever let me down. This the last place in Portland that knows how to make a good hollandaise! Coffee is always up to snuff, and Moe is a darling. Service is always quick, but it's not a big place and fills up quick. Better for solo or couples than groups.

Food:

I don't know when the owner works and doesn't work but hopefully you get served by him. Not only did he earn a good tip, he earned repeat customers as well as an instant positive review. Highly recommended.

Food:

The mexi scramble is excellent!