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Bijou Café
Categories: Restaurants French Restaurants American (New) Restaurants Breakfast & Brunch French, American (New), Breakfast & Brunch [Edit]
132 SW 3rd AvePortland, OR 97204
Neighborhoods: Southwest Portland, Old Town - Chinatown
(503) 222-3187
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 7 am - 2 pm
Sat-Sun 8 am - 2 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Breakfast
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
237 reviews for Bijou Café
Review Highlights
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"Had the roast beef hash and added mushrooms, yum." In 18 reviews -
"The brioche french toast was thick, fluffy, filling." In 13 reviews -
"Great service and awesome oyster omelet." In 13 reviews
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237 reviews in English
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Review from Michael L.
Brooklyn, NY
5/20/2012
Ate: Kale hash
Drank: water
Liked: Good hash, good ingredients
Disliked: the long wait, but we did have a large group
Chicken: yes
Would mom like it?: If she was in a good mood
Wait: 30 min
Would I go back: eh
Recommend: The specials board has some good stuff -
Review from Kevin K.
Portland, OR
5/17/2012 1 Check-in Here
Bijou is one of those places that I walk by ALL THE TIME and rarely visit because there really isn't anything that sets it apart from similar restaurants in the area. There are many options on the menu that cater towards veggie lovers, so that's great. I usually get some kind of vegetable omelet and a coffee.
My favorite thing about this place really has nothing to do with the business itself, so I won't count it towards my star rating. I went to brunch in the middle of the week and T.R. Knight from Grey's Anatomy sat at the table next to us! If Bijou is good enough for celebs, than it's good enough for me ;)
On the serious: the servers are nice and the food is just OK. I go every once in a while and I'm never disappointed, I'm just unsatisfied. -
Review from Huey K.
4/15/2012
We couldn't get into Mother's Bistro on Easter Sunday, so we went here instead. At the time of this writing, this restaurant had 4 stars -- talk about Yelp inflation.
I couldn't believe the roast beef hash had so many positive reviews. It's so boring, and the potatoes needed salt and pepper. Similarly, the mushroom and cheddar omelet was also really bad.
Meh. -
Review from Debbie C.
Chandler, AZ
3/12/2012
I was very disappointed in this restaurant... I was visiting Portland and told by a friend who used to live here that the Bijou has the best breakfast. What they do have is a very limited menu ... And no egg whites ...
They do have 3 or 4 types of omelets, 3 kinds of egg dishes, french toast or pancakes and oatmeal -- which they don't serve all day. I ended up getting buckwheat pancakes -- comes with 2 that fill a plate ... and they were good ... but I don't eat dairy or sugar, so they were kind of dry ... i wanted fruit, but wasn't interested in paying another $5 for fruit on top of my pancakes.
I was really disappointed when I asked if I could get egg whites and was told no. You can even get egg whites at Denny's for crying out loud. And I get that it's standard to pay $1 extra for egg whites - that would have been fine. Or how about if you give me a smaller omelette and just drain the yolk out like I do at home ... not even an option. So I thought that really sucked - especially when the omelets were $10-12 to start. -
Review from Kristine A.
Portland, OR
4/30/2012
Smoked Turkey was surprisingly different and delicious. I sometimes get a specific craving just for that
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Review from Meagan J.
Jackson, WY
4/2/2012 1 Check-in Here
The banana nut muffins were delicious! Our server was friendly and straight up which I appreciated.
It is obviously a popular place and I love the ketchup. We sat at the bar and were helped right away.
Good food, great service, fun atmosphere.
A bit on the pricey side, however everything is fresh and you definitely get what you pay for. -
Review from Tara R.
Minneapolis, MN
3/22/2012
Definitely the best sit-down breakfast I had in Portland. I laughed at the "organic" ketchup and then tasted it. I took back the scoff...it was delicious.
Coffee was great, too. All local food, SO good. -
Review from D M.
Thousand Oaks, CA
4/15/2012
Local and organic whenever possible. Based on a single visit, my impression is this place is absolutely amazing. Best breakfast I've had in a long time, I will be going back way too often. Sunday noonish, pretty busy so sit at the counter or expect to wait a little bit.
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Review from Mike R.
Vancouver, WA
3/13/2012
I like going here after 1:00 pm on the weekend. No waiting but they close at 2:00. You might miss out on some specials but the main menu is delightful.
Oyster sandwiches or hamburgers are wonderful. Oysters come with homemade cole slaw love the jalapeños that spark up its taste. Hamburgers have homemade potato salad no mayo substitute with yogurt instead!
The staff are great and even by the end of their shift are still doing a great job to make your meal pleasing and tasteful.
Their muffins are made fresh daily and are wholesome as well as tasty alongside your pick from the menu that day.
There are numerous other hidden delights that you will find when you enjoy this popular Portland eatery. -
Review from Brian R.
3/22/2012
I've never been a big fan of text speak, but Bijou Café is an OMG. The Oyster Hash is singularly one of the best things that I've ever eaten. In a Portland filled with amazing places to eat, this is a great place for breakfast or lunch. They also have dinners, which I have not tried, and jazz evenings, which I would love to try one day. The place is Aging Post Hippie, and the servers tend to be senior granola mamas big on personality but a little forgetful here and there on details. They drop a star because the 70s decor needs a refresh. Five star food does not deserve a three star dining room.
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Review from Costa M.
Portland, OR
1/23/2012
I had high hopes for Bijou after moving here. I heard a lot of good things. My expectations were not high as I am a food realist, but man, what a disappointment.
I definitely dig the decor and the ambiance. Also like the open kitchen. I ordered the roast beef hash with 2 eggs up. Instead of hash, all I got was a pile of tasteless chunks of potatoes with some pieces of beef (they were tender) that didn't have a bit of carmelization. It was like they were cooked on a part of the grill that was WAY too cool. I have to hand it to them that the eggs up were perfect though. All in all a big pile of garbage. And no toast for my eggs? And all for $12.25??? Give me a break...
Our server was most gracious and charming. -
Review from Kristine P.
Portland, OR
1/17/2012 1 Check-in Here
*shrugs shoulders*
I had the House-made Carlton Pork Sausage & Eggs. I can make better potatoes at home, blind-folded and hung-over. The only good thing about this breakfast was the sausage and the cup of decaf coffee. There are a TON of better breakfast spots and it's worth it to explore them rather than visit this place again. -
Review from Justin O.
Portland, OR
4/6/2012
Jazz night is whats up! Good food and good music!
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Review from Chris O.
Portland, OR
12/26/2011
My wife and I love this place, but today we BOTH GOT SICK, after eating there. Anyone else? December 26, 2011.
I have never had a problem here in the past. Everything has always been top notch.
Today we shared each other's food. The two items we both had are:
House-made Carlton Pork Sausage & Eggs & Pastrami - with house-made sauerkraut on rye.
We both have nausea and something else which needs Imodium. I hope I can make it to the store and back.. -
Review from Tamsen G.
Updated - 12/28/2011
Update, sadly, with a downturn for the once perfect Bijou.
Why the long face? I'll tell you. In the traditional Bijou, which really didn't change for years and years, you could have breakfast in a warm, bustling room with original hardwood floors, exposed brick and beams, and a 'diner grows up' ambiance. And the food was wonderful. They used to have the best pan fried potatoes in Portland. It was really a destination spot for us, and had a very unique feel.
I came in again with my son a few weeks ago - and much to our dismay and chagrin, they had remodeled. Or semi-remodeled. Hard floors replaced with vinyl (BOOOOOO), bricks painted over, and a new "corporate" feel.
Now, I live in the corporate world myself, but the best thing about Portland is that you can escape from it in many great restaurants. The last thing I want to do on a weekend is to go to corporateville.
Bijou Cafe always had corporate diners, and I have been one of them. But boo on Bijou for taking away what was really perfect the way it was.
AND THE BACON!!! Ugh. I ordered a side of bacon, and it came to my table DRIPPING with fat. Like, all over the bacon pieces and the place was splattered with it. It was an utter FAIL. I had to send it back, it was just gross.
Oh, and the perfect panfried potatoes? Their once crisp panfries have gone limp. And they've cut the portion size down considerably.
Net net: We're shopping for a new favorite breakfast spot. Sorry, Bijou. Your original splendor will be missed.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/13/2011
I love the Bijou. I love the Bijou. I love the Bijou.
If the food is enough to keep three teenagers… Read more »
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Review from shar d.
San Francisco, CA
4/24/2012
really good breakfast food. i didn't like it as much as mother's but i think it's b/c i'm partial to biscuits and gravy . . . .
a little pricey for breakfast but the ingredients are defintely fresh and delicious. had the roast beef hash which was really flavorful. also tried some of the chicken enchiladas which was really good.
all in all good breakfast joint. my mimosa was filled to the brim in a nice big cup for you drink in the morning fans. -
Review from Michelle C.
Silver Spring, MD
3/20/2012
We beat the crowd and only had a short wait for a table. I had the French toast. It was good, but too eggy for me. My husband had the tofu scramble and said it was excellent. Overall, it was a good experience.
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Review from Michelle M.
Saint Louis, MO
3/17/2012
Wonderful breakfast! Loses two stars for absolute worst service EVER and disgusting bathrooms.
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Review from Stephenie B.
Gladstone, OR
10/19/2011
Was expecting a whole different experience, unfortunately (hopefully) caught them on a bad day.
We were a group of 7, and even though they only had about 6 other tables seated in the whole place, crammed us in a 5 top to where we were practically sitting on each other's laps. It would have been very easy to move another smaller 2 top over, and there was no high demand for any tables around us.
Bacon was good, organic, $1.50/slice, and microscopic. Left a lot to be desired. Food wasn't terrible, just average.
Our waiter was friendly and food arrived fast. -
Review from courtney b.
Portland, OR
4/23/2012
Food was good but service was horrible. Sat down and our waiter was very rude when i asked how she was doing. She replied "my shift is almost over". Guessing she was trying to tell us to hurry up. Never checked in on us as we waited an absurd amount of time for 2 sandwiches. She gave us the bill with our food - what is this, Red Robin? Our bill was $18 so I gave her $25 and waited for change so that I could leave her more than a $2 tip. She never came back with change, she cleared our table and started to clean up for closing and we continued to wait for her to come back with our change. She never returned. Sorry lady, your horrible service was not worthy of a 40% tip. Needless to say, I will not be returning because of the horrible service and straight up rude waitress.
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Review from Victoria C.
Seattle, WA
11/7/2011 1 Check-in Here
I'm not sure what the big deal is with this place. People keep telling me that Portland is a foodie city, but so far, during my three weekend visits here, I've yet to believe this.
At Bijou, the wait is long, the servers minimally friendly with barely a good morning, and the food just average tasting.
My bf liked his orange juice (fresh squeezed, and nicely sweet) and chicken quesadillas with pumpkin mole, but it was overstuffed with too much chicken and not enough sauce. It was very dry. I got the oyster hash and was not impressed. Sure, they were generous with the oysters, but I'm not a fan of the cornmeal dredge. It was way too blackened and pretty much burnt. And the potatoes were likewise on the burnt side. I love me some crispyness, but damn. I don't want to eat charred food.
I'd probably come again, though, just because there's not many other brunch places to go to aside from Bijou and Mother's Bistro. -
Review from Mari K.
9/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
OMG OMG OMG. Best Omelets ever! Seriously, love to go out to restaurants for breakfast and this one did not disappoint. The menu was focused and rustic, ingredients fresh, ambiance is like a cute little french bistro.
I had the wild mushroom omelet and as a mushroom lover was in total heaven. The eggs were so fluffy, seriously magical. OH and the homemade ketchup. YUMMM. I will definitely go again next time I'm back in Portland! -
Review from Rollo T.
Portland, OR
12/4/2011
Best breakfast in Portland! We found this place when we first moved to Portland in '98 and have been coming back ever since. Don't get me wrong Portland is a "foodie' city and has many great restaurants but Bijou is awesome. My favorite are two staples they've carried since I've started coming here. Roast beef hash and their buttermilk pancakes! My wife often tries the specials and is always very happy with her meal. Highly recommended.
Popular place and sometimes the line is long so stop by Stumptown coffee next door for a quick cup to help pass the time. -
Review from Cookin B.
Seattle, WA
9/12/2011
A legend and will always be. Don't ever close this place. Keep it alive forever.
I've known the Bijou for some time now and the omelets are just as perfect as they were back in 2002. Mixed well, perfect color, light and flavorful with perfect ingredients of sauteed onions and chanterelles. (the special omelet)
The Bijou is what eating better is all about and worth every cent. Now that they are serving drinks, there's nothing like a Gin and tonic in the morning, to enjoy a fine breakfast served from friendly people.
the remodel is not bad, but I am not a huge fan of the servers wearing black and the cooks NEED white chefs coats.
Eve is number one. -
Review from Sonia C.
8/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
I liked the food here but I didn't think it was as good as the two other brunch places that I've been to in Portland - Mother's and Tasty n Sons. The location, however, is super convenient if you are staying in downtown Portland.
I ordered the mushroom hash which had some very tasty mushrooms but also contained too many potatoes and too tart & spicy salsa. It was still good, but the sour salsa got to be overwhelming after awhile. It also did not come with eggs or toast. Overall, I thought my dish was probably the least winning out of all the dishes at my table. Besides the sauteed mushrooms, the best thing about my food was the side order of super juicy and fresh heirloom tomatoes.
Everyone else seemed to enjoy their food and from what I've sampled, it seemed like I had just ordered the wrong thing - hence I'm willing to give this place 4 stars. The oyster hash (also sans eggs!) was pretty good - very large oysters breaded and deep fried over the same bed of potatoes. I guess deep-frying something always makes the whole dish better! My friend said her oyster omelette was also really good - it was served French-style and seemed to be crammed with oysters and bacon. They also serve an assortment of homemade jams at the table.
Service was great. Waitress came by to refill water and coffee glasses multiple times. -
Review from Chris D.
CA
11/13/2011
Came here because we'd eaten 2 days in a row at Sugar Mama's.
Orange juice: perfect.
Cappuccino: perfect.
Pear muffin: excellent.
Salmon hash: not actually hash, it's a hunk of salmon over chopped fried onions and potatoes. Not bad.
Wild mushroom and cheddar omelet: fluffy, mushroomy, cheesy perfection. Made me realize that I stopped liking omelets because they're always overcooked, and this one wasn't.
Like every breakfast place, it gets packed around 10am on weekends, so haul yourself out of bed sooner. -
Review from Stacia B.
Portland, OR
1/6/2012 1 Check-in Here
This is not the place to eat if you can't have any milk products. It's a french cafe which means even the hashbrowns are cooked in butter. My friend's breakfast was good she said but I had to have poached eggs & dry WW toast... boaring! Mother's Cafe had a line out the door. The service we had wasn't very good but it seemed like other tables had good service. I had to ask for my coffee to get filled each time I wanted some & it always took at least 5 min. before she came over with pot after I asked.Needless to say I won't go back.
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Review from Terry S.
Cleveland, OH
11/26/2011 1 Check-in Here
First of all, the marionberry jam is delicious, on it's own or spread on their perfectly soft an crusty baguette. Their omelettes are cooked with a perfection I haven't seen anywhere else. I had the goat-cheddar bacon omelette, and my girl had the chanteuse mushroom omelette (daily special). Both were great, but the mushrooms were way too earthy and mushroom-y for my taste (I tolerate mushrooms, but don't worship them).
We got in at 8 am on a weekday, got a table with no wait, but the place had filled up by the time we left. Kind of pricy, but not formal. Great place for a tasty fancy breakfast. -
Review from tran l.
Aliso Viejo, CA
10/22/2011
We visited based upon Yelp reviews and unique menu offerings. I ordered the Oyster Hash, and my BF had the Seasonal Squash Hash. Both dishes were large and great to share and pretty good. A little pricey. We received the same size portions and ordered more at Mother's Bistro for about the same price...
I did love the space--high ceilings, cute design and large open windows and space. -
Review from Robert W.
Wilmette, IL
10/14/2011 1 Check-in Here
Best breakfast in Portland - great omelettes and oatmeal.
Friendly, efficient service.
Pleasant setting and great location. -
Review from Katherine A.
Providence, RI
7/25/2011
Went in for brunch and ordered oatmeal (which is on their menu), but apparently they don't serve it after 11 (which is not on their menu). That's fine, but the sandwich I order in its place was not great. The turkey was tasty, but there was no trace of the jalapenos described on the menu, and it was entirely too sweet. Additionally, the sandwich also managed to be dry. Finally, the waitress forgot the coffee I ordered, however, she was great about a food allergy in the group, so that's a plus.
I believe this was a unique experience - everyone else in my party was very happy with their meals - but I felt it merited a review. I'd give it another try, but I certainly wouldn't go out of my way for it. -
Review from Charlotte M.
Portland, OR
2/9/2012
The best omelet I've had in Portland by far!! If you go here, definitely have an egg dish. I made the mistake of ordering a tasteless cinnamon french toast last time I went here, yet I will forever be a loyal customer for their delicious omelets.
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Review from Doug G.
Tacoma, WA
1/28/2012 1 Check-in Here
They have a very good evening menu, too. I had the Warm Black Kale Salad with hazelnuts, Dijon vinaigrette. Excellent! Then I tried the burger with jalapeño chutney - another great choice. I had the jasmine pearl tea and of course, Nancy King and her talented group of jazz musicians added to the atmosphere.
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Review from Chris W.
Houston, TX
7/24/2011
Worth the wait...you'll wait between 10-30 minutes and you need to sign in on a clipboard much like playing pick-up ball at the Y. Aside from the occasional screaming kid, a nice downtown atmosphere with an unfinished warehouse feel.
The menu was pretty much broken down into omelets, cakey stuff, and house specials. We had French toast, pancakes, and the spicy lamb sausage hash. The French toast was average so if you are in that mood, go for the pancakes!! They were awesome - I ordered an extra one (which was slid onto my order at no extra charge!)
The lamb hash was a nice combo of spicy lamb sausage, breakfast potatoes, onions, and covered by an over-easy egg. This dish would have been plenty on it's own but my taste buds were diverted by the luscious buttermilk pancake. (see photos)
It took forever to get our check and we had to ask the waiter for many things during the meal, but the food made it worthwhile. -
Review from Jay G.
Kennewick, WA
1/15/2012
Went in for a late breakfast/ brunch. The staff was great and the food selection awesome. The place was even better than expected.
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Review from Catherine G.
Portland, OR
4/12/2011
I'd like to tell the woman who has banned Bijou that she should not give up! We went this past Saturday and had a very nice personable hostess and a great waitress (Eve). The place was busy but we only waited 10 mins which is not bad at all.
It was my first time and I had the Farmer's omelet which was really good and the grilled cinnamon bread which was insanely good! Oh and what's not to like about a mimosa made with fresh squeezed orange juice?!
I'm not often downtown on the weekends but I would recommend it! -
Review from Eddie C.
Honolulu, HI
4/26/2011
Had a delicious omelet made w/ local wild mushrooms. The salad that came w/ it was excellent, super fresh greens and an amazing lemon vinaigrette. I also love that they serve great loose leaf tea that you can steep yourself, and also at the right water temperature. Dragonwell tea was excellent, in large part because they actually used water that wasn't boiling, which a lot of places in America unfortunately still do for green tea.
Best meal I had in Portland. -
Review from Doug R.
1/15/2011
"Oh, we don't have soft drinks." the poor waiter said.
It was all I could do to not bust out my best Lt Cedric Daniels impression.
This. Is BULLshit.
No pop? What the hell? Are you trying to fuck up my morning? Dirty hippies can make it to the God damned Cash & Carry to pick up a flat of Mexican coke but you people in black can't manage that? Why not put up a sign on the door that says "Boring Assholes Only."
Hey, this is my subjective experience. Go get your own. I like pop.
Also, crazy waitress who walked up behind Brett and apropos of nothing TOUCHED THE BACK OF HIS NECK to fix the tag on his t-shirt, how do you still have a job?
So, the food. It was okay. My scrambled eggs were cooked just a few seconds past runny. I like them set a bit more but they were still okay. The bacon was good and the diced potatos were, well, not hash browns but I've accepted that most lazy hipster pseudo-fancy pants P-town breakfast cooks can't be bothered with hash browns.
Anyway. Questionable inventory practices and crazy servers (although the one we had was nice enough). No way I'm coming back to this place. Fair? Life's not fair. -
Review from James D.
Denver, CO
11/2/2011
I was referred to this restaurant from The Benson. I don't think I've ever been more disappointed in the service or quality of food. I wanted an egg white omelette. They flat out refused to make it. Saying, "we don't do egg whites". BIG MISTAKE. The service was lackluster at best. It was almost as if they had something better to do. (Granted, it was a sunny day in Portland.) I will NEVER return to invest my time or money in this establishment. Sure, the expanded building looks great but appearances aren't everything. Do yourself a favor and dine elsewhere.
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Review from Aaron D.
Los Angeles, CA
Great food, great service. Joel was a gem. I'm so glad he decided to not stay in LA like me. Portland the place for him, and Bijou's the place for me. Get the brioche french toast. It's the best I've had in the PNW.
