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Category: American (Traditional) [Edit]
Neighborhoods: Mississippi, North Portland
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a couple was squished in the crowded area - debating whether or not the 30+ minute was worth the wait for brunch. a guy who was also in the waiting area turned to them and said; '"Only if you like phenomenal food!" In a tone that said "only a complete idiot wouldn't wait ...."
Needless to say, it was worth the wait. And, being the experienced weekend brunchers we are, we had come expecting an hour wait for our group - leaving our name and then going to get coffee.
So when we did eat - awesome. One thing I have missed in the 13+ years of not eating red meat is biscuits and gravy. A LOT. so it was pretty much heaven on earth digging into a steaming plate of fluffy biscuits and creamy veggie sausage gravy. yum.
we split the greek omelet with no problem substituting and splitting the dish.
so, yes, the wait is worth it - "if you like phenomenal food".
The first time I went to this place, I was hoping to catch a quick breakfast before heading out of town. The wait was long, but I don't have a problem waiting for good food. The problem I DID have was the waitress forgetting to put in our order...and she didn't even notice that we had been sitting there for 45 min without food. WE had to check in with HER. We were extra polite, considering it was a Sunday and the place was packed. It didn't matter. The waitress was hardly apologetic and seemed almost annoyed that we even caught her mistake. I had the salmon hash. It was good, but salty.
The second time I went, we waited an hour and a half to be seated. On top of that, the "host" exclaimed to the waiting patrons that we were "screwed" if our party exceeded two people. Maybe we wouldn't be "screwed" if he paid any attention to the open tables. We literally stared at an open four-top for TEN MINUTES before he seated us there. I ordered the corned-beef hash. My stomach was upset the whole drive back to Seattle.
I don't live in Portland, so my experiences at this place have always been on a Sunday morning while visiting friends and family. I understand that Sunday mornings at a breakfast place are busy, but there is no excuse for the terrible, almost hostile customer service.
I'm "waffling" between "A-OK" and "Yay! I'm a fan" here. I've decided on fandom because I actually willingly cross town to come here, and I even stand around and wait if needed here, something I rarely do. It's a trek from SE, and I pass many another breakfast joint to get here, but I like the neighborhood, the restaurant's atmosphere (love exposed brick and beams), and the food.
I should admit I've not tried the gravy. Heavy sauce-laden breakfast isn't really my thing. But their sausage onion and pepper scramble is so damned good. My only wish is that I could find someone who is equally enamored with this dish so I can split it. The thought of egg leftovers, to me, is blech. But I never manage to get to the half-way point before being D-O-N-E done with this dish.
Yeah, portions are E-normous. Coffee is strong. OJ is delicious. This is a solid breakfast choice in this increasingly solid breakfast town.
People thought this was:
I'll keep this short and sweet...
Been here 2 times previous and for some reason... after waiting in line and being super excited to try it. I naturally felt inclined to order something with gravy. Duh - when in Rome! Both times it was huge, greasy and a total gut bomb... (slight negative rant in my over-all positive review) My personal advice is to order the basic stuff on it's own off the breakfast side dish menu. I ordered the 2-eggs 2 sides and so did my girlfriend. They just cook everything right...
Here's the break-down of the must-gets:
Hashbrowns - about a 1" tall pancake of super crispy potato goodness.
Bacon - lean and meaty. We both said "This is really good bacon!"
Pancakes - for some reason it was like crack rock.
Sausage - giant meat patty filled with fennel seeds. It looked huge. But it eventually got gobbled.
Add some Chalula and a cup of Stumptown coffee and I was set...
Sounds sort of boring but I enjoyed Gravy with the basic items... Now go eat!
People thought this was:
Yes! Great experience.
Table for two.
Got seated quickly.
Friendly host and waitress.
Food arrived fast.
Meals were tasty!
Reasonably priced.
Definitely recommended!
Our meals:
Oatmeal Creme Brûlée: $5.75
Ridiculously good! Must try!
Biscuit and sausage gravy: $3.75
Gravy was right on the money!
Biscuit was a bit hard. I personally like them fluffy.
Tips:
Expect a wait on a weekend morning.
There is a list. So, if there is a line get your name on it!
This review is for those with gluten and dairy allergies.
Ya know when somebody describes something to you and they say,"My meal was the size of a football!", or "The meat was huge, like a baby's head!"....well, maybe not a baby's head, but you get what I mean. Usually when this is being said, it's really a slight exaggeration. However at Gravy the size of the omelettes are REALLY the size of a SMALL FOOTBALL!!
What we ordered: Omelette w/ choice of 3 ingredients; bacon, sausage and smoked salmon. Pork chop and eggs. Both dishes were served w/ the choice of fruit, potatoes or hash browns.
How we ordered it: The choice of ingredients for the omelette was really diverse. There was a list of cheeses, list of veggies and list of meats to add. This made it super easy to order Paleo. We ordered the omelette w/ smoked salmon, double-wide bacon and sausage. Pork and eggs were as is. Both dishes ordered w/ bowl of fruit.
Cost: Omelette - $9.25, Pork chops and eggs - $11.75
Quality: Everything was very tasty. The smoked salmon was a bit dry b/c it was cooked a little too long, but apparently you can also get the salmon on the side if you like, so that it doesn't cook any longer while in the omelette. I'd like to see how big that portion really is! Sausage and bacon was excellent as well.
Quantity: The salmon in the omelette was literally a whole filet. We had never seen anything so ginormous! The pic pretty much speaks for itself. The Pork Chops were perfect! I was definitely stuffed and very satisfied.
Warning, do NOT go here on the weekend. If you go, be prepared to wait. During the weekdays, you are golden! They're open until 3pm, so get in for a late breakfast and notice you will not have to eat for many many many hours.
Yay for Gravy!
I love Gravy! The veggie biscuits and gravy is so dang good you almost feel guilty eating it. Pair it with hashbrowns and mush it all together = best hangover remedy ever.
(super long wait during the weekends, try to check this place out during the week!)
People thought this was:
I jumped on the Gravy boat one late, lazy Saturday afternoon. 2pm really is the best time for breakfast, right? Right. It's not that you got up late, because you didn't. Oh no, you just didn't decide to get out of bed until then.
The open diner, with its exposed beams and brick walls, was virtually a ghost town. Where were the massive lines I've come to hear about this place? Was it the heat? Was it the nice weather? What kept people from breakfast? Maybe they'd already eaten with the masses, and we were just late. Regardless, that was fine by me.
We were seated, handed menus, and brought water glasses. I scanned the menu for additional beverage choices. The usual suspects were there, the only difference being smoothies. Smoothies with soy. I'd hit the jackpot. Next thing I knew, I was sucking down a mixed berry and banana smoothie faster than I could read the menu. I might have finished it before the food arrived. Maybe.
Scrambles. Omelets. Pancakes. Biscuits. Gravy. Oatmeal. Meat. Eggs. It's all there. Shocking for a place that specializes in breakfast, right? Some of the items are unique--oatmeal brulee anyone? Most of them are the staples we've all come to know and love, both carnivorous and vegetarian.
I swayed toward the biscuits and gravy, tempted to see what the veggie gravy was all about, but I had a full day ahead of me. Did I want a gut bomb? What about those sweet potato pancakes? I'm a sucker for anything sweet potato. But wait, I don't -really- like pancakes. I'm one of those people who gets a hankering once a year, orders a short stack, finishes one pancake, and is over it before she even finished that first pancake. So no, no pancakes for me. Omelet it is. Some of the predetermined combos sounded good, but nothing mind blowing. You can create your own with three toppings for $9.25. Not too bad considering you can pick some of their more expensive toppings, which I did.
House smoked salmon.
Cream cheese.
Avocado.
Oh wait, their avocado wasn't very ripe. I appreciate the server letting me know so I didn't have to settle for crap avocado. I went with mushroom instead. I chose home fries over hash browns and called it a day.
So we waited. And waited. And listened to the hits being played over the loud speaker. And waited some more. And watched the chefs in the kitchen. And waited. And people watched through the front windows. And waited some more. And checked Facebook on the phone. And waited.
Finally, our two plates hit the table. I don't know how these servers manage to carry more than one of those plates at a time. The food, piled high and dense, spilled off these plates. My omelet was truly bursting with goodies. Usually the egg to topping ratio is high, but not here. It's definitely the other way around. The potatoes, while nothing stellar, are definitively edible. Surprisingly enough, you're not sacrificing quality for quantity here. It's really quite lovely. It is heavy because of the sheer mass of food you're getting, though. I didn't even manage to clear my plate, but that might have been from the delicious smoothie.
Would I come again? Sure. I wouldn't wait for it, though, at least not when I have other options around, like Broder, Helsers, or Beaterville. It's truly a middle of the road breakfast spot. It's solid. It's well prepared. It just doesn't have that one thing that's going to keep me coming back. But Hoot, what about the smoothie you raved about? While I raved, it's nothing I can't live without. I usually don't like to tack on an extra drink to my bill unless I'm dying for some iced tea, or I'm in need of an alcoholic beverage. That was purely a onetime thing.
People thought this was:
Warning! Do NOT whatever you do try to eat an entire Monte Cristo at Gravy all by yourself. You will become very, very sleepy. Your tummy will feel like it is about to explode. You will not be able to get up out of your chair. Your batteries will fail you. Believe me. I've tried it. It was not a pretty picture.
People thought this was:
My first time in I wasn't terribly impressed. I had the chicken fried steak and eggs with hashbrowns.
The chicken fried steak had a lot of potential, but it was way too thick. It really needs to be a lot thinner.
The hashbrowns were fun, the gravy even more fun. Oh my god damn that gravy...
The coffee was good!
I will go back for sure and explore the menu a bit. I think I had much higher expectations.
People thought this was:
It was my first time venturing into the Mississippi neighborhood and Gravy welcomed me with open arms. Tasty breakfast arms.
After reading Gravy's reviews, my friend was on a mission for french toast. I went along for the ride and my stomach is so pleased that I did. Without hesitating my friend ordered french toast, but I was left debating between savory and sweet. Did I want blueberry pecan pancakes or banana chocolate pancakes? Or was I in the mood for biscuits and gravy or salmon hash? I ended up landing somewhere in the middle and ordered the monte cristo. The ham and swiss were served on thick slices of french toast with syrup to top. The portions were HUGE and tasty.
I'd be happy to come back to try out some of the other contenders on the menu.
People thought this was:
I'm gonna try and keep this short and simple. We'll see if that happens.
We're always looking for new places to eat breakfast and going into Portland is always fun. We went to Gravy around 11:30ish and it was fairly busy. We ended up waiting forever it seemed, didn't think it would take as long as it did. But, once we sat down it went pretty quick. And the environment was pretty fun as well, I liked the setup.
The food was very good. Their french toast was AMAZING. It was definitely among the best I've had. Especially with some raspberry jam or whatever it was smothered on top. I also had one of their omelettes and it was HUGE. A lot of egg, a lot of cheese (I think too much), and basically a lot of everything else. It was pretty good though.
All in all, I would definitely recommend. Just expect to wait for a table once you're there. The portions are a little on the larger side (which I like for breakfast), and the french toast is a must! The oatmeal brulee looked very good as well. The food is a little on the greasy side, so if you don't mind that you're good to go!
I met some friends here on a Thursday morning and even though it was 11:00 on a weekday, the place was no less busy than I'm sure it is on the weekends. It's just that good. The music was soft but totally alternative. The decor was neutral toned and beautiful - nice woods, warms walls, some plants, open and spacious, plus a skylight! Each table was filled with engaging conversations about music, riding bikes, saving the planet, and making the most out of life.
As far as the food goes, portions are way too big. That's why I count down a star. Plus there was way too much cheese to even be considered healthy. But the french toast...oh man, the french has got to be the BEST FRENCH TOAST EVER! Get a side of bacon and enjoy their great coffee and service, and you'll be happy you experienced Gravy. :)
A friend and I went here for breakfast on a Saturday morning at about 10 a.m. I suppose we could have picked a better time to go (because we did have to wait awhile), but it was worth it!
The approach we took to the meal was to order one "sweet" item (chocolate chip banana pancakes) and one "savory" item (make-your-own omelet with bacon, olives, and sharp Cheddar). I also got the house coffee which was pretty decent. The only bad thing I noticed about the service was that she only filled my coffee up once when I desperately needed at least two cups that day.
Our order came out eventually, and I think my eyes almost popped out of my head! That omelet was huge. We were both glad we decided to go with the short stack of pancakes after seeing that monstrosity. Both menu items were very delicious. The omelet came with hash brown as my choice of side, and they were pretty crispy whereas I normally prefer my browns to be softer. It was like a hockey puck of hash browns. Thumbs down on that. The pancakes were amazing, though definitely not a meal themselves unless you have an unquenchable sweet tooth! I think our plan was perfect because we got the best of the sweet and savory worlds. And for all this, our bill was only $16. What a deal!
Overall I really liked Gravy. I will probably go back, and not order the hash browns next time. You might consider sharing here, as the portions are indeed huge.
People thought this was:
Since there are about a zillion and a half reviews for this place I will keep this short, sweet, and to the point...
Food: Good...but greasy. (Hash gave my heartburn but was worth it!)
Portions: Ginourmous! (Monte Cristo weighed more than my dog.)
Service: Lacking
Wait: None at 9 am on a Tuesday (when I went)
Seating: Cramped
When I go back, I will be having the French Toast!
Based on my first visit to Gravy, I would've given this restaurant a higher rating, but unfortunately the second time I went back the experience was lacking a bit.
Still, Gravy is a place I would recommend if just for their vegetable-mushroom gravy alone. I've also had one of the omelettes complete with vegetarian sausage and a GIANT serving of hash browns on the side. All good stuff--not spectacular, but full of the yummy greasiness you expect from diner-style breakfasts.
The first time I went to Gravy the service was fabulous, but the second time it was like being waited on by a flighty teenager and she brought us our food luke-warm. So, provided the food gets to you hot and the service doesn't screw up your order multiple times, this can be a very satisfying breakfast joint.
People thought this was:
Do not eat before you go to Gravy. I can't stress that enough. I went for brunch and I swear that one order can feed two people easily. Great hangover food and a cool atmosphere. I was visiting Portland so it was a nice trip over to N. Mississippi. The wait was only about 30 minutes so not too terrible.
I got the hash and my gf got a really good scramble with spinach, mushrooms and tomatoes. The scrambles have to have at least 4 eggs and I had 3 poached eggs on my hash. It's a bit overkill but you certainly won't leave hungry.
Grubbing food, crazy big portions, great for the morning after a big night and at good prices too.
Talk about FOOD.....YUMMY FOOD NO LESS. The biscuits and gravy are not only, I think, the best in town but more than one can or maybe should eat!! You don't get ripped off here (paying 10.00 for an appetizer portion of food) unlike some places I have been to in town.
Their menu is expansive and creative. The waitstaff are pretty nice and do provide good service. The only problem is the wait to get in and get a table. They almost always have a line out the door!!! Good problem to have if you are the owner of the place!!!! Well worth it!!!
Sadly, I was underwhelmed by this place. It was understaffed on a weekday, which in and of itself is alright, but the staff made no effort to make up for it. An order of hashbrowns with gravy never came (it was placed after the initial order). The interior felt corporate, with too much sheen on it for Mississippi Ave.
The omelet I had was good, think along the lines of a breakfast calzone with egg inplace of crust. Another omelet and a breakfast sandwich were also ordered.
Nothing bad to say about the food; unimpressed with the experience.
People thought this was:
I experienced Gravy on my last morning in Portland, though I wish it would have been my first. The oatmeal brulee was AMAZING! I reminisce about it every time I go out to breakfast. I wish there were something similar to it in the bay area. We shared biscuits and gravy which were great. The portions are huge, if I ate left overs I could have probably made three meals out of my order. The service was terrific and the ambiance was warm and homey.
Freakin' amazing breakfast---- the only reason it doesn't have 4-5 stars is that people complain of the wait on a weekend. it is so crazy good
Please do yourself a favor and order the oatmeal brulee.
So, I stood outside nursing an enormously angry hangover, an hour and a half had passed. Waiting, aching silently thinking to myself when in gods name are they going to call my parties name and seat us. My mouth tasted like old hops and ciggies. Ciggies that I had said that I would never smoke again. Fucking hell this better be good food.
Five more minutes passed and alas we were called! Hallelujah! Hello Mr. Blue Sky!
First up - mimosa - stat! Ahhhh my jaws ached as alcohol and orange juice fell down my throat. Biscuits and gravy and potatoes and gravy and gravy and gravy and holy crap I am not hungover anymore! I do not taste ciggies or hops! Holy hell I am ready to start all over again!
Thank you Gravy thank you very much!
An aside - they make pancakes here that I swear to Jehovah taste just like Christmas!
People thought this was:
By all means, be prepared to wait. Possibly outside, so take weather into consideration.
If that's not an issue, then prepare for a very filling dose of awesome breakfast. The banana chocolate pancakes should be illegal, and the vegetaran (vegan, perhaps? I'm not sure...) biscuits and gravy are very good (the gravy is a vegetable compote of some sort). I don't even like biscuits and gravy much, but when my lady ordered some I was actually jealous of her food. Until I bit into my pancakes, and all my troubles floated away.
I look forward to the day when they open their sister restaurant, "Cheese."
People thought this was:
I found this place by overhearing some hippy guy raving about it at a coffee shop. I had never been over to Mississippi so that was quite a pleasant surprise. Portland has a number of hip hoods and Gravy is in the middle of one of them.
I'll start by saying I probably mis-ordered. Ignoring my gut, I went for the smoked salmon hash and eggs with potatoes. Figured it'd be a good northwest flavor to leave Portland with. It was only so-so. Not a lot of smokiness to the salmon and it was just too much fish for the quantity of food they give, which is A LOT! Probably enough for three people. Three hungry people. The nice girl next to me took my leftovers to the "homeless" family down the street to eat over the next four days.
The biscuits and gravy probably would have a better choice. Looked great and given the name of the place, I bet they're a little bit of alright.
The service was okay. It wasn't busy when I was there at 9am on a Sunday, though it took ten minutes for anyone to offer me a drink.
All in all, my food was average though I'm positive by the looks of other dishes that there are good things going on there.
People thought this was:
I really don't understand people who downgrade a place because its busy.
OMG, you had to wait?? Don't they know who you are??
Get over yourselves. Gravy is busy. Its a small place. Either show up before the crowds (we visit Gravy several times a month and have NEVER waited) or resign yourself to waiting--you know, like everyone else. Are they supposed to magically expand the building or fabricate new tables and chairs upon your unheralded arrival?
Sheesh. Posting regularly on Yelp doesn't make you the NYT food critic.
I also don't understand criticizing a place for having huge portions. Ok, so we all make rookie Gravy mistakes and order too much food but you learn, don't you? Look around, did you notice the waitress lugging the plates to the tables around you? They will let you split it, you know. We do it all the time.
Bottom line: the food is terrific. It really is terrific. My only complaint might be that if you are a regular, you might find yourself wishing for something new once in a while.
But by all means, go spend the same amount of money at Beaterville Cafe for 90% less food with half the quality. Be my guest. Leaves more room for me and my friends who love our regular pilgrimages to Gravy.
Edited: I apologize for the grumpiness of this review which ended up being more about my pet peeves with a few other reviews which I found irrationally negative.
I love the food at Gravy with the following caveats:
1. very small place, it fills up. i advise you to adjust accordingly
2. don't go with a large group, they really only have 4-tops without rearranging the place
3. its not the cheapest breakfast in town, but you'll skip lunch unless you are Homer Simpson
Apologies to offended reviewers and Beaterville Cafe for ranting.
People thought this was:
Creative food, fantastic portions, excellent coffee, descent service. Lots of veg/vegan options.
This place has actually improved over the last year. I wouldn't try to go here during the brunch rush.
Seating was pretty fast given it was Sunday morning. Service was friendly and helpful, a little rushed. We had a bacon/mushroom/onion/cheese scramble. It was a total salt bomb. We're trying to eat the leftovers now, the next morning, but we might not be able to get through them. Total food fail.
I just got back from taking my friend to breakfast at Gravy. This is my fourth time, and have never been disappointed. The portions are huge- I typically can make three meals out of it. The food is wonderful. They are very generous with giving you plenty of salmon with both the salmon hash and salmon salad. I've always been able to find parking close by, there's fun art on the wall, and good vibes.
People seem to be friendly, as I have talked to neighboring eaters a couple times. The waitresses have been personable. There is a wait, but when you're in good company it doesn't seem to matter as much. I highly recommend you stopping by.
Poor reviews for Gravy are far and few, however, our experience there might just be the death knell for a once successful operation.
My elderly father and I were in town for Jazz Fest' and had been turned on to Gravy by a chef friend in our town whom had previously lived and cooked in Portland.
After searching for parking, and a 40 minute wait to get in, we were seated. The wait for coffee was about ten minutes, the server was semi-friendly.
We ordered Chicken Fried Steak, which in my opinion is the barometer for any breakfast restaurant. An order arrived next to us and the French Toast looked great, so I flagged our server and ordered a side of French Toast as well; good thing we did.
Sometime after ordering, an incredible banging sound came from the kitchen, like one of the aluminum pans was being banged on the prep-station. The entire restaurant stopped and looked into the kitchen. The banging stopped after 30 seconds or more.
After 30 minutes or so, our meals arrived. At first I was a bit surprised as the Chicken Fried Steak was at least 2 inches thick! This is not how the dish is normally served, but when in Rome, do as the Romans do.
I cut into the CFS to find that it was an actual steak, simply covered with batter and dropped into the fryer or thrown on the grill. If I wanted Steak & Eggs then that's what I would have ordered.
However, now we're both completely starving. After cutting into my "Battered Steak" my plate immediately filled with a pool of blood. Now I'm not Mr. Well Done, I prefer my steak medium rare normally, but this piece of meat was still moving. My dad tried to cut his and it was so tough he couldn't cut it.
Both plates were so bad the couple sitting next to us commented on it. The couple lived in the neighborhood and stated this was the third time they had tried Gravy, this being their last. I have them as witnesses should Gravy decide to come after me for slander.
I flagged the server and explained that both steaks were inedible, could we please get two omelets. The server said it would take another 30 minutes for another order etc. etc. to which I said "well, we have to eat, we've been here an hour and half now".
Thankfully our French toast arrived and I must say was the best French Toast I've ever had.
Now understand I RARELY send a meal back to the kitchen. After years in the Hotel and Restaurant business I know what goes on in the kitchen. There IS something worse than a woman scorned and that's a cook or Chef who sees plates coming back into the kitchen!
After another 25 minutes we're now wondering where our omelets are. I look into the kitchen window and whammo! There's the cook staring at me and visibly Mother Fucking me from the grill! No really, I can read his lips as he's looking at me, then the grill, then back at me, "Fucking, Motherfucker" is coming off his lips joined by a sinister smirk.
I walk up the breakfast bar, between the kitchen window and the dining room, at which point the Henry Rollins look alike cook comes charging over to the window.
I say, "Hey man, it's nothing personal, I've got my elderly old man with me and he wouldn't be able to chew the steak, and mine was still moving". "Don't take it personally, really."
He shoots back through the window "No problem man, I serve a thousand of these a week and never a problem. Hey, I understand I can't please EVERYONE all the time!! You're omelets are coming right up and believe me you're going to LOVVVVVE them (spoken like Robert De Niro in Cape Fear). I just want you to enjoy your breakfast sir."
I now realize there's no way in hell we can touch whatever arrives at our table prepared especially for us by this lunatic. I look back into the kitchen and this cat is still Mother Fucking and now actually laughing at the grill now. I felt like we were in a scene from Apocalypse Now, with the drug crazed kid at the machine gun.
The omelets arrived, and they looked great. Unfortunately, we had no idea what form of bodily fluids, dead rodents, or local blend of Meth' might now be in both of our omelets.
I told my Dad we were leaving. I asked our waitress for the check, tipped her, and with more than a few other tables watching the scenario unfold, headed for the door. The server chased us to the door and asked if we wanted doggy bags. When I related the entire story to her, her face went blank and she visibly felt bad. I told her she might want to talk with the owners about old Henry.
While driving back to our hotel it dawned on me what the loud banging was coming from the kitchen. I'd bet a months wages that was old Henry Rollins back there tenderizing
Those 2 inch thick Chicken Fried Steaks, no joke!
I'm can't believe I actually paid the check. Suffice to say, we won't be going back to Gravy. Good luck to you if you do.
People thought this was:
The only reason I rated this place a four is because of the wait.
Tips: Come early(anywhere in Portland), and if you are only one or two, sit at the bar! Not for booze you damn alkies- to see the chef get it done!!!
Behind the bar there's a old fashioned farm kitchen window that gives you a peep at the one man circus in the kitchen. No, he's not alone, but you don't notice anyone else. He's the man....
I ordered Corned beef hash, a daring entree anywhere, and was very, VERY surprised to get large chunks of corned beef, onion, peppers paprika, taters, and all kinds of luv! I've been twice. The second time was a breakfast date. All parties with me have agreed, this place is that certain delicious we were looking for! The staff, friendly and funny, so was the chef!
"Gravy" puts Portland's many overrated breakfast spots on notice.
People thought this was:
I have been to Gravy twice, both times We were seated within minutes which was nice, and the menu is large and hearty. The plate sizes are generous. However, the first time I ordered a biscuit, gravy and hash browns. The biscuit was so tough that I had to use a knife to cut through it, my gravy was a strange orange color with no discernible reason, and the hash browns tasted and felt like they had been made a few hours prior to me eating them. The second time was worse. Our waitress came to our table three times within in an hour, once at our prompting. I ordered a tofu scramble with hash browns. The tofu came out a strange, stringy yellow mess, and the potatoes were house potatoes not hash browns. The woman seated at the table next to me sent her omelet back because the bacon was raw in the eggs she ordered. I would NOT recommend this place and I will not be going back. Especially when the tab was $25 for two.
When someone says "Hey, let's go to Gravy", which meal immediately pops into your head, breakfast or dinner?
That was question looming in my head as I trekked from deep SE to that oh-so-up-and-coming em-eye-double-ess-eye-double-ess-eye-pee-pee-eye neighborhood for a late Friday morning breakfast. I was wondering what I was in for. My almost-dead-already new years resolutions were clawing at the back of my psyche. Even through the pre-coffee haze I could hear my inner voice telling me "there's nothing healthy for breakfast at a place called Gravy, turn back now..."
But those who know me know that I never turn back. Never. Well, except the times that I do, but that's for a different review. So anyway, Gravy is a breakfast and lunch spot. While to me, the name screams comfort food dinner, I guess to the locals, it means breakfast. And no, not a light one at that.
The offerings are definitely on the gourmet comfort food side of things, with biscuits & gravy, scrambles, omelets, hash's, pancakes, egg sandwiches, oatmeal brulee, and meat+egg offerings. The portions are huge and the prices reflect that. The immediate impression from the menu was "expensive", but once the food arrived it was "value", if that tells you anything. My wife could have split her gigantic scramble/potatoes with one of her friends and still had too much. For ~$10, that's not a bad deal.
The food itself is quite good. We polled those sitting next to us and found unanimity in response: "Everything on the menu is good." The wife had a veggie scramble that was tasty and HUGE. I had a bacon, cream-cheese, green onion and tomato omelet, and it was GIGANTIC. I am a big boy, and I couldn't clear the plate. 'Nuff said. Needless to say, at this point in my meal, my now completely defunct resolutions were on the floor of the back of my brain, writing in pain... the same pain I currently feel in my gut from ingesting over a pound of omelet.
I would definitely go back, and on a hung-over morning, I would be stoked at the plate size. That said, I hear the wait for this place is oppressive on most days. I wouldn't wait that long for this food. I know, I know, there are many who will in a heartbeat, and don't get me wrong, the stars above indicate that yes, the food is good, it's just not "GREAT" by any comparison. So faced with a 45min to 1hr wait, I would turn tail and run. I would more likely wait that long at Mother's or Screen Door, on any day.
Also, the service was somewhat forgetful and a little slow.
So while the food was good, it was comforting, it was well done, and 4 hours later I am still FULL, it's not all that. If I lived next door, I would probably be a regular on off days (and even fatter than I am now). Otherwise, the locals can have it.
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I'm a little pissed off at the other 63 reviews so far that have kept this place secret from me. Why didn't any of you personally message me about how incredible this place is?!?!?! You've really let me down.
Once you take a trip to Gravy you'll understand why I'm so angry. This IS one of the best breakfast spots in town. I took some photos to prove my point, but after viewing the photos already post I decided not to post mine. The hash browns are the best. No really! The B E S T ! Extra crispy on both sides. Perfection. I ordered the ham and eggs. I was surprised that my plate came loaded with 3 thick chucks of triple glazed ham. I was in fat guy heaven!
They have a very cool vibe here. Real laid back. The back ground music was great. I mean, who doesn't love singing along with Nirvana while shoveling food into your face?! Just be careful no one is sitting in front of you. If you launched a chuck of extra crispy hash brown into someone's face while belting out a high note you might poke their eye out! We all know its all fun and games until someone loses an eye.
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PDX snow days are great for checking out restaurants that are usually too crowded (assuming of course that they're open). So on the first snowy Sunday we decided to try brunch at Gravy.
The line was much shorter than a typical Sunday (it wasn't out the door). Less than fifteen minutes and a few snowballs later we were seated. I immediately liked the decor. Warm woods, open beams, and funky caricature paintings. The rocking music mix stood out as well, loud enough that you could actually hear it, not too loud to talk over, perfect for a chill but upbeat brunch (and not played on over-hyped over priced Bose crap).
I wasn't sure what to expect, you'd think that a place with such a long usual wait would have some fantastic food, but I've been eating out long enough to know that's not always the case.
If you're looking for Eggs Benedict (which a few of are party were) don't look for it here. It's not on the menu and from what our waitress told us never has been. That was fine with me, since they had Chicken Fried Steak.
[Somewhat Extraneous Discourse: So only recently have I come to understand why "Chicken Fried Steak" is thus named. Granted it's not something I put a lot of thought into before, but during those infrequent times when I'd eat it the butterfly thought of "What a weirdly named dish" would flutter briefly around my brain's strange gray matter core. Finally a few months ago while devouring this at Bertie Lou's I had an epiphany. Embarrassingly even Jessica Simpson might have figured this out sooner, but it finally dawned on me that the dish was essentially "Steak prepared like Fried Chicken". I could see how that name would be a tough sell, but now I wonder why not just call it "Fried Steak"? I'm just saying...]
Anyway, the "Fried Steak" here was underwhelming. The huge meaty slab was tender and juicy, the gravy decent, but what's the point if the breading was mushy and all fell off.
My better half's rippling with flavor almost rave worthy corned beef and the huge fried brain looking hash browns saved Gravy from two-star hell, placing it squarely into three star purgatory.
Were it not snowing I doubt I'd stand in line to eat here again. It's not that it's bad, it's just that with as good as or better Mississippi Station nearby why wait?
pictures: http://www.yelp.com/bi...
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I hate myself for only giving gravy three stars. I want to give it more, but my heart tells me otherwise...
The food is amazing. I love the oatmeal. It is rich, but reminds me of the oatmeal my mom made as a kid - super thick. The omelette's are great - with a wide array of choices. The portions are huge. The grub is tasty.
Gravy feels like it is getting to big for its britches. The only time my wait was less then 20 minutes was when I showed up before eight am. The last time I ate there, I was with a party of four, but one of us was running late and they wouldn't seat us until our entire party showed up. I understand why they have this policy, but that morning I was hung over and starving, and I wasn't in the mood for dealing with the yuppies who came to check out the latest hip breakfast place in north Portland.
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HUGE portions!
I got one biscuit w/vege gravy, side of hash browns and a fried egg and I only ate half of the first two!
The hash brown are about 1.5" thick and 6" in diameter! wow!
The vegetarian gravy was (as it should be) amazing!
Hot cocoa is one of the best in town, nice cinnamon flavoring, pretty chocolaty. Mine had that delightful skin on top which usually grosses me out but was somehow good!
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Oh LORDY! This place is heaven on earth. The place was jammed but we got seated reasonably quickly - just long enough of a wait to really get the saliva glands juicin'.
GET THE BISCUITS AND GRAVY. One is a meal. Two is an ordeal. The sausage gravy was out of control. and their homemade sausage side ("our own sausage" on the menu) is delectable, brilliantly seasoned with coriander seeds. The eggs were perfect, the coffee damn fine, and the OJ was tasty and fresh squeezed.
But the gravy. Oh the gravy. I hope heaven is a swimming pool full of the stuff. With a diving board.
The portions are absurdly huge. The food is amazing and extremely reasonable. And the art on the walls is awesome!
People thought this was:
This place is A-OK. We got there at 9:30, and didn't get out for two hours. The wait wasn't that bad, it was the wait for the food which was long.
But, when the food came, it was great. I had two eggs (seemed like four compared to how two eggs come out when I cook at home), hash browns, and a fruit cup. The hash browns were amazing--crispy on the outside, tender underneath. Yumm! The fruit cup was not your standard watery melon, it had good pineapple and grapes too. Coffee was good and strong.
I would certainly return, but would come earlier in the morning to avoid the large crowds and long wait.
Gravy. Love it or hate it. I'm in the love category, but I also know what to expect for brunch: a wait and a sometimes-not-so-together front-of-the-house staff. That said, we've never had to wait too long--but there's just two of us, no kids, no out-of-town guests-to-impress.
_Good_ stuff. The, ahem, gravy is just awesome, and I don't know that I've had fluffier, richer biscuits since I was a kid at the Sunday church potlucks in Atlanta. They cook perfect to-temperature eggs, and the coffee's dynamite if you like a robust cup. AND they have a liquor license and a particularly fabulous bloody mary mix. (Update: So far, BEST bloody mary I've had in Portland so far--thick, spicy, crazy delicious. A must for any bloody mary fan!)
The best seats in the house, for my money, are at the bar. The kitchen's great, and the wait staff gets all sassy and no-nonsense when they're back there to wait on you/punch in orders on the cookputer/prepare drinks/catch their breath.
Cavaet: We live in St. John's, so the deal is we can only go to Gravy if we bike really fast there and back. Otherwise, the carb overload will knock us into a coma before we make it home, and the 2,000 calories we ate will have their saucy ways with our love handles.
People thought this was:
Over the last couple of months, it seemed like this was the "new old" spot as more and more different sets of friends were going here for breakfast, so it felt like it was time to try this place out.
In short, it was decent. The portions were definitely huge and the food was good enough; however, my opinions are probably lower because of the long wait. I'm used to waiting for Sunday morning breakfast but I was definitely surprised to look at my watch upon leaving and see that 3+ hours had passed from the time we arrived to the time we stepped back onto Mississippi.
My sister had the country fried steak and eggs and we were surprised that they used a very hearty sized steak, bigger than most recipes either of us had had. I think this then required a much heavier type of batter which made it more like a shell. The gravy was decent but I must have been expecting phenomenal, well since "Gravy" is the restaurant's name. And the hash browns seemed a bit overdone. I like crispy but this was a bit much. I did like the coffee.
I liked the atmosphere. It was bright and airy...even if the fans were spinning away, making our table quite cold. I had to eat with my coat still on.
It's one of those restaurants I'd go back to if I had friends already showing up there (early, so they could wait for the table). However, I don't know I'll suggest going there myself anytime soon.
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