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Mother's Bistro & Bar

4 star rating
based on 291 reviews

Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, American (Traditional)  [Edit]

Neighborhoods: Southwest Portland, Downtown
212 SW Stark St.
Portland, OR 97204
(503) 464-1122
Hours:

Tue-Thu. 7:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Tue-Thu. 5:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Fri. 7:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Fri. 5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

Sat. 9:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Sat. 5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

Sun. 9:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Price Range:
$$
Accepts Credit Cards:
Yes
Parking:
Street
Attire:
Casual
Good for Groups:
Yes
Good for Kids:
Yes
Takes Reservations:
Yes
Delivery:
No
Take-out:
Yes
Waiter Service:
Yes
Wheelchair Accessible:
Yes
Outdoor Seating:
Yes
Good for:
Breakfast
Alcohol:
Full Bar
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"My absolute favorite place to eat!  Every month has a different themed special from another country.  Check the website for the current…" read more »

291 reviews for Mother's Bistro & Bar

Review Highlights   

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"For dessert, a heart shaped Creme Brulee and french press coffee." (in 44 reviews)
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"GG had crunchy french toast w/ pear & ginger compote." (in 16 reviews)
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"my fav was the french toast -- dipped in corn flakes and it is ohhh sooo…" (in 5 reviews)
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Sort by: Yelp Sort | Date | Rating | Elites'
Photo of John G.

Elite '09

558

635

John G.

Los Gatos, CA

4 star rating
Updated - 11/19/2009

Dropped by for lunch.  Great menu, unique place and very good food.  Loved the selections.  Their macaroni and cheese is great.  We had the crab sandwich and the grilled ham and cheese.  Both cooked very well, very tasty and very filling.

Attentive service, great drink selection.  

All this adds up to Mother's still being a Portland favorite both to locals and tourists.

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1 Previous Review: Show all »

  • 4 star rating
    9/6/2009

    Great bistro in downtown Portland.  On all the lists as one of the top places in Portland.  In an… Read more »

Photo of Carla P.

 

1

9

Carla P.

Bremerton, WA

2 star rating
Updated - 11/22/2009

This was our second time to Mother's Bistro.  In my first review, I mentioned that we heard the breakfast was really good, so on our most recent trip to Portland, we met some family here for Sunday brunch.  

Let me say that this restaurant is way too crowded and noisy.  It is definitely a hot spot for PDX-ers.  I thought I would try the crunchy french toast which is french toast dipped in cornflakes.  I was not impressed.  The crust of the bread had either been fried too long as it was hard.  I had a hot chocolate which was pretty good.  My family seemed to like their breakfast meals.  They went with scrambles, which is what I had wished I'd picked.  

Oh well, the bottom line is that I don't think Mother's is worth the reservation and wait.  The food isn't that great.

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1 Previous Review: Show all »

  • 3 star rating
    4/22/2009

    Went to Mother's Bistro before a concert in Portland.  The food served at the restaurant is standard… Read more »

Photo of Aleph A.

 

0

1

Aleph A.

Seattle, WA

4 star rating
11/15/2009

Biscuit Breakfast was a bit overwhelming for a Sunday Morning Coming Down, but that's more me than them. Too much awesome.

Wait was ~.5hr for seating but way worth it. Waitstaff more friendly to old ladies nursing hangovers than to youngsters trying to get their pupils back to normal. C'est la vie.

I'd kiss the cook, but will settle for flirting with the waitress.

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Photo of Brandy P.

 

0

2

Brandy P.

Portland, OR

4 star rating
11/18/2009

Get there at 9:00 on Saturday for the line up and the shortest wait. Best to make reservations. The BEST French toast in town! (Just don't bother with the rest) Also dug the mirmosas!  Great atmosphere, seems like you went somewhere special.

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Photo of Dan G.

 

3

26

Dan G.

Los Angeles, CA

2 star rating
11/11/2009

The location and decor are great.  It's all very feminine and french with a twist of black ceilings.

The food was disappointing.

The corn bread served had great texture but lacked flavor.

I ordered Pierogies for a starter.  If you put this on a menu it better be good.  These were boiled and lacked seasoning.  The filling was flavorless.  Mrs Ts crush Mothers every day of the week.

For a main I ordered the Catfish special.  

It come with spinach and corn cake.  The sides were FANTASTIC.
Really really good.  

The catfish on the other hand seemed to have stolen all the seasoning from the Pierogies.  It was way too salty and the crust was much too thick.  The sides saved the dish.

My GF ordered the Chicken and Dumplings which I tasted. It was pretty ordinary and over salted.

I didn't get around to dessert but they all looked spectacular.

Fun place with potential.

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Photo of Ashley C.

 

0

8

Ashley C.

Cypress, CA

4 star rating
11/15/2009

Worth the wait! Biscuit Breakfast = UH-MAZING! Lemon Poppy Seed pancakes (special) was delicious too.

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Photo of Reed R.

 

2

10

Reed R.

Portland, OR

5 star rating
10/23/2009

I've lived in Portland for a few years now, and I am starting to venture out to have some of the local food.
I didn't even know that Mother's existed and probably wouldn't have gone here except for I attended a meeting that was scheduled to be here.
After reading some of the reviews on here about how Mother's is great homemade-like food that is worth every penny, that no matter what you have you can't go wrong if you the the "mac and cheese du jour", and while there, you need to try their dessert.

I have to say that this is exactly how it was. The prices were just a little high, but totally worth it. The mac and cheese du jour (which included applewood smoked sausage) was some of the best, most homemade-like food I've ever had. And for dessert, pecan bourbon tart. My God, the deliciousness!

I definitely would go here again... and again. Whatever you do though, make sure that you either have a reservation, or are prepared to wait for a table, because it was hellah busy.

Totally worth it.

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Photo of Jordan R.

 

9

46

Jordan R.

Boca Raton, FL

5 star rating
11/13/2009

LOVE MOTHERS. my fav was the french toast -- dipped in corn flakes and it is ohhh sooo good. everything is fresh, and the food tasts BETTER than mom used to make! (sorry mom)

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Photo of brian c.

 

2

20

brian c.

Portland, OR

5 star rating
11/13/2009

Great breakfast!! French toast is dipped in cornflakes. yummmmy!!! Omelets are great as well. You really cant go wrong. Dinner is down right Delicious!! If you never had home cooking come to mothers. Hearty home cooked meals that make you feel really good, and really full. The decor is nice. If your not here early on the weekends then you will be waiting for a while. This is a must try place if you haven't been.

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Photo of O D.

 

1

44

O D.

Portland, OR

4 star rating
Updated - 10/23/2009

I had the opportunity to go to Mothers yet again for breakfast and jumped on it. This time my experience was a lot better. We had fast and quality service. There was also some eye candy :). I experimented this time and ordered something  new and I was more than happy with my meal. If I could lick the plate and still walk away with my dignity I would have. Now a 4 out of 5 star establishment that will most likely see me again.

If you MUST have one thing on the menu it should be their Pork Apple Sausage & Cheddar Cheese Scramble or their Migas. Both are very different but VERY GOOD!!

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1 Previous Review: Show all »

  • 3 star rating
    8/23/2009

    A special friend and I went to Mother's Bistro at about 9:30am on 8/23, not realizing that so did… Read more »

Photo of Lisa E.

 

3

49

Lisa E.

Portland, OR

4 star rating
Updated - 10/9/2009

I went to Mother's Bistro/Lounge for happy hour and really enjoyed it! This place is always a madhouse when I've been there for lunch or breakfast. But it was surprisingly quiet for happy hour. Easy to get a table. It wasn't super loud or too crowded (in fact there were some empty tables).

The happy hour food was great. We got the hummus plate (yum!), caesar salad (one of the better ones I've had in Portland) and the fried ravioli (to die for!!!). Happy hour food is $3 each (great price). I don't think the drinks were cheap though. But for four people the bill was about $50 for food and drinks.

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1 Previous Review: Show all »

  • 4 star rating
    8/24/2009

    I am a fan of Mother's food. I am not a fan of Mother's the restaurant.

    Word of advice: ALWAYS MAKE A… Read more »

Photo of JJ G.

 

4

40

JJ G.

Los Angeles, CA

5 star rating
10/18/2009 1 photo

This place was fabulous! I was only going to give 3 stars to start out, seeing as they were 20 mins late to seat for our reservation. BUT, the quality of the food and service made me quickly forget about that. Sometimes, good food is worth the wait!

The GF won this round with the Salmon Hash, Which was perfect in every way. I had the goat cheese omelet (cooked as a scramble) which was also very very good, but I'd go out of my way to recommend the salmon hash, and the biscuits and gravy. O.m. Effing g. The biscuits and gravy.

Because they were late to seat us, they gave us a free sample of french toast and biscuits and gravy... The moment I tasted the b&g I knew I had ordered the wrong the thing...

The coffee flowed like the mighty columbia river, the atmosphere was bright and pleasant. I want more!

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Photo of Char L.

Elite '09

39

452

Char L.

Culver City, CA

3 star rating
10/14/2009

You definitely need to get here when it opens if you don't want to wait for tables to turn over on the weekend. Mother's had a very solid brunch. I was impressed with it until I had Screen Door's brunch!! The salmon hash was a more unique item and I thought it was one of the best entrees. The frittata comes in a close 2nd. It's baked perfectly and it's huge! Grapefruit juice was fresh squeezed and opaque. Yum.

Sadly, the service was anything but perfect. We were all visitors to Portland and did not get a very friendly reception from our waitress. She was rude taking our orders and was pissed when we didn't get an entree each. Being tourists, we knew we had a lot of eating to do throughout the day, so we decided to just share a bunch of entrees amongst each other to try out as much of the menu as possible.

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Photo of David M.

 

0

9

David M.

Eugene, OR

5 star rating
11/18/2009

Mother's is great for breakfast.  Never been for lunch or dinner, but the breakfast is fantastic.  The space is really nice with great decorations.  They have great scrambles and french toast dipped in corn flakes.  Fun cocktails too.

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Photo of Aimee F.

 

2

58

Aimee F.

Portland, OR

4 star rating
11/2/2009

Mother's always delivers, for all meals.  I'm usually suspicious of overly crowded places but have experienced excellent food, excellent service, and even an excellent happy hour (that's usually not terribly crowded, perhaps due to its location?).  The mac & cheese which it is known for is indeed good, however they should cut the portion in half - no one needs to eat that kind of quantity of pasta, seriously.  Very pleased with the salads.  Note: they take reservations for breakfast, that is awesome.  However don't even try to get your reservation honored if every single person is not there (only once did they allow it because I was one of two in the party).  Good cocktails and great deals on the bar menu - not a place one might think of for happy hour, but definitely a comfy cozy atmosphere to meet a friend after work.

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Photo of Thomas W.

Elite '09

87

120

Thomas W.

Portland, OR

4 star rating
7/23/2009

Oh.  Wow.  Another review for Mother's.  Yay!

Yeah, I know; EVERYONE and their MOTHER (hah!  pun intended!) has been to Mother's Bistro & bar.  If you haven't been, I have news for you: you will soon.  I don't know how - you'll either go for a birthday party, find a last-minute table for an anniversary, be sucked into a time vortex placing you directly in your seat (and hopefully in front of a bowl of their A-M-A-Z-I-N-G chicken and dumplings...!) but one way or another, you will via some magical form of PDX osmosis find your way here.

Luckily, this will not be a terrible ordeal; in fact, you will be glad you went / were shanghai'd into going / teleported into the place by way of a mystical beam of light.  Right from the get-go, the service was very friendly and pleasant - we were seated for my girlfriend's birthday quickly and soon had their customary plate of rolls and biscuits before us.  

"I believe the word you're looking for, Captain, is 'yum!' "

Our drink order came quickly as well, and while I am disappointed that they did not have porter on tap, at least the bottle was accompanied by a chilled glass.  

Our benefactor for the evening ordered plenty of appetizers for us, including the Irish nachos (wtf?) and the fried ravioli bites.  These were definitely tasty and very home-made in appearance, giving them the sort of charm you might find when you mom would mix up the contents of the fridge into a tasty snack for you back in the day.  I can't speak as to the VALUE of such nostalgia, however, having given the menu only a cursory glance.

I have the sneaking suspicion that Mother's knows the value of such a feeling, and has a price tag set to match.  Ah, well.  It's downtown, right?

Anyway, seating was comfy, and the entrees, ooooh lord.  Did I mention that I had the world's best chicken (tender and soft in a rich creamy broth...) and dumplings? (Herb-specked and fresh...a delicious companion to the chicken...)  No?  Well, um...I did.  It was amazing.

Now you know.

So, it was good, home-style food served by a competent staff and in a comfortable atmosphere.  Honestly, I couldn't ask for more in such a place.  Perhaps my opinion may alter ever-so-slightly if my own pocketbook needs to come to the fore, but I doubt it; my time at Mother's was very enjoyable, and am happy that such an establishment has found a home amid the more self-styled trend-spots downtown.

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Photo of Jeffrey S.

 

1

7

Jeffrey S.

Portland, OR

4 star rating
9/17/2009

Great atmosphere, friendly staff, good food. Definitely one of the best "traditional/American" breakfast places in Portland.

+1 for having coffee options from Stumptown. You may choose which coffee to drink and be served a full french press to share. woot woot!

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Photo of Kristin S.

Elite '09

18

222

Kristin S.

Seattle, WA

3 star rating
8/17/2009

Mothers is really great. Staff here is friendly. I go on Sundays with my family. The food is solid but the ambiance is exactly what you're looking for from a Sunday brunch joint. The wait was a little long last time we went but who can blame a place for being popular?

I'm not a huge fan of the crunchy french toast because it tends to be dry. Blueberry panckes and the migas on the other hand, are perfection. I'd give them a higher score but the food is sometimes a little mediocre.

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Photo of Hideki K.

Elite '09

133

328

Hideki K.

New York, NY

5 star rating
8/22/2009

Mother's Bistro is my favorite PDX brunch spot.

It's worth it just for the Frosted Flake Crunchy French Toast.

I wish their hours weren't so limited and their wait weren't so long.  Reservations are highly recommended, they're practically a must.

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Photo of C T.

 

0

3

C T.

Portland, OR

3 star rating
11/11/2009

good food.

horrendously snotty-to-the-point-of-rude wait staff.

Did i say the wait staff are unbearable? On almost every occasion, I have had similar experiences. Come on, it's Portland. We're a mile wide and an inch deep at least, but these staff are an inch both ways.

I go back on occasion because I like the food --I am a foodie.

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Photo of Jen P.

 

8

17

Jen P.

Seattle, WA

5 star rating
7/26/2009

One word to describe this place:  WOW!  I was very impressed!  There are only a few breakfast joints that deserve high praise...and this is one of them.  A couple of our friends introduced us to Mothers and had nothing but great things to say about it.  And YES - it did live up to the hype.  We ordered a whole bunch of entries:    

- Salmon Hash:  OMG....I don't think words can explain how incredible this was.  Just thinking about makes my mouth salivate.  
- Mike's Special Scramble:   Whoa!  The combo of ingredients in this scramble can not easily be replicated.
- Apple Pork Sausage:  YUM!  If you like sausage....this is definitely not something to pass up.  
- Coffee:  Well, I can't personally say it was great since I'm not a coffee fan (don't judge me!)...but everyone in the table loved it.....

The decor/aesthetics was also really great!  They had a vintage theme going with classic chandeliers and early 1920-30's furnishings and wall paper.  It was like stepping into an old victorian home....and eating mother's good old fashion cooking.  It's a place I would sit around for hours on a Sunday morning sipping on tea and chatting with friends.  Although, I probably wouldn't recommend it out of courtesy to those we are waiting to be seated.  Yes, that is a minor downfall.  But, like all great restaurants, there is a wait time.....but it's well worth the wait.

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Photo of Lisa A.

 

76

126

Lisa A.

Chicago, IL

3 star rating
7/30/2009

On my recent trip to Portland, my goal was to go to the Waffle Window for breakfast.  But, considering the 107 degree heat, and 3 mile walk over the Hawthorne bridge, I decided to go with the concierge-recommended Mother's.

It was packed on a Wednesday morning.  The restaurant was overwhelmingly hot, like all of Portland that day; but the staff was attentive and sweet.  I loved the decor and chandeliers.  What I wanted was not on the menu, I ordered two poached eggs, english muffin, and one pancake, and they were accommodating.  The egss were so fresh, and cooked perfectly.  The english muffin was very good.  The pancake looked great, but was blah.  I can imagine coming here for brunch with the family, but prefer more of a diner when I am going out alone.

I am glad that I tried this restaurant, but weather permitting, Waffle Window it is next time I am in PDX.

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Photo of Shawn D.

 

1

7

Shawn D.

Vancouver, WA

1 star rating
7/12/2009

I wouldn't step foot in this place if I were starving. The food is fine, the service was horrid. A table for seven with reservations, we waited 20 minutes past our reservation time and then were summarily rushed through dinner. RUDE! RUDE! RUDE!

We ordered desert and coffee and were presented with the check and our order in take out containers. I don't expect to order desert presented with it in to go containers and asked to leave so they can give my table to someone who is waiting. I just spent a couple hundred dollars, at least ACT like you care!

Friends have asked us to return at which point we politely tell them we would rather eat at home. Take it for what it's worth but skip this joint.

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Photo of Ashley C.

 

32

278

Ashley C.

Portland, OR

4 star rating
8/13/2009

You cannot go wrong with brunch here.  All plates are great so there are no bad plates.  

Service is always nice and helpful.  The ambiance is very chabby chic, but it works.

Most of the food is Eastern European meets continential, especially their dinner menu.

The wait is long, but it's understandable.

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Photo of K L.

 

5

55

K L.

Lake Oswego, OR

2 star rating
7/8/2009

I'll probably be SHOT for 2-2.5 stars, but so be it.

Honesty is what it's about, right?

So, I've been to Mother's off and on for years.  For breakfast more times than I can count, dinner at least 3 and also a few times for lunch.

So, what's my issue, you ask?  
Well, it's just BLAH!!   I am a pretty good judge of comfort food and it should NOT be "average" unless you are eating at one eyed Aunt Bessey's in the middle of no place. Mother's downtown should be the best, right?  

Breakfast, is just average, average, average.  I've tried about 90% of their items for breakfast and haven't found one worth revisiting.  Egg dishes are over cooked, dry and lack flavor.  Service is busy off their feet and often rushed, but they aim to please. It's loud and busy and very popular.  

Lunch and dinner are slightly better tasting and the atmosphere is far more relaxing (noise level is improved).  However, nothing stands out as being memorable.  

I suppose I have higher standards for a "downtown" destination spot, but I just don't understand the flocks of folks who live or die by this place.  

That being said, I love that they are locally owned!  And if I was invited to meet friends/family/co-workers (as that seems to be the only place some of YOU [and you know who you are] are willing go)... I'll sacrifice one for the team.  

It's just average fare in a great location.  
And..:"dat's da truth, your Honor"

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Photo of Sandra S.

 

22

83

Sandra S.

Mill Valley, CA

4 star rating
8/10/2009

On my first trip to Mother's, the waiter challenged me to try the eggs Benedict.  I told him I'm a  hollandaise sauce snob, and he said if I didn't like it, he would pay for the dish, and pay for a new breakfast for me.  The sauce lived up to the recommendation!  It was THE BEST I've ever had!  I looked forward to having the eggs again for the past 9 months, and was so sad this past Friday to find out they only serve them on Saturday and Sunday.

Yes, the wait is long, the decor is like going to Grandma's house, and the waiters/waitresses are a little odd, but this is a great place to have a warm, YUMMY breakfast!

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Photo of Daniel B.

 

6

9

Daniel B.

Vancouver, WA

3 star rating
9/6/2009

I've heard the rants and raves (mostly raves) about this restaurant for some time--for reasons I can't quite explain, I've never tried it myself. That all changed this afternoon when I brunched with a couple of Portland's elite homosexuals in what ended up being a delightful ladies' Sunday brunch.

At least now I understand why people rave about this place. The ambiance is perfect, the service is quite good, and the food is tasty. The staff is really attentive and they totally take care of you (read: the waitress puts in your mimosa refill order before asking you) (that is, they don't force you to be drunk--I contend the wait staff keenly discerns your wants, needs, and desires). The ambiance and service remain unparalleled; in terms of those two aspects, Mother's is the standard by which others should be measured.

That said, I do feel like Portland boasts a plethora of excellent brunch spots. The Daily Cafe, for example, offers excellent food and half the wait Mother's does. Mother's, however, offers a more diverse menu and service that really can't be beat. Next time, I want to sample the lunch and dinner options. I mean--in my experience, it's pretty tough to fuck up a specialty omelet or eggs benedict. Their eggs benedict was pretty good--it's clear (or it seemed) they made their hollandaise sauce from scratch, and my eggs were prepared perfectly. We enjoyed a tasty biscuits and gravy appetizer, which was stellar. My companions consumed the traditional frittata and specialty omelet, respectively, and they both loved their food. I wish I had been a little more daring when ordering--eggs benedict, as I said, is tough to fuck up, and mine was fine. At the end? I couldn't tell if our plates still had food on them because we were full or we were trying to out-lady each other. I do, typically, clear my plate. Telling? I'm not sure yet.

The wonderful thing about Mother's? You know there will be a next time, so try, try again. And the grapefruit mimosa? Do it, you won't regret it.

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Photo of Mac M.

 

1

28

Mac M.

Portland, OR

4 star rating
7/6/2009 1 photo

Great breakfast for Father's Day...

I had been at the Original Pancake House a week earlier & this place was wayyyyyyyyyy better....They also make some awesome breakfast drinks....Great Bloody Mary's & juices...Also had a vodka w/ fresh grapefruit. And they have awesome food too!

The eggs, pancakes & omelets were very, very good...

Only issue was trying to find a close parking spot, but it was Father's Day. The place was very busy, but we had a reservations so we got right in....Everything was great including superb service...

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0

22

Chris D.

Seattle, WA

5 star rating
8/3/2009

This is the type of breakfast joint that I always hoped existed somewhere. Kudos to the Deluxe Hotel front desk attendant for pointing us in the right direction. Wherever I end up eating a mediocre breakfast in this crazy world, I now have the bar that I can measure all those other places to.

"It's good, but it's not that joint in Portland we had breakfast in that one time..."

"This place blows, remember that Mother's Bistro place we ate in in Portland...man, I wish we were there right now..."

Me and the Girl are breakfast people, no doubt- usually one of us walks away from breakfast either disappointed or sick (damn tricky, getting old stomach...)- but this place was great- everything about it- the decor was comfortable as hell, it was like being in an old west brothel, the waitress was super cool (it was like she was taking our order as a dare, she would say "DONE" after every item ordered..."I'll have the apple sausage and cheddar scramble"...""DONE"- I loved her, I honestly loved her...), the food was fantastic (except the hummus, but I'm kind of a hummus nazi, so they get a pass) the price was more than reasonable...really folks, just a top notch joint all around.

We took all our leftover breakfast pieces and had them as part of our breakfast the next morning at home and it was still good- as The Girl always says, "Breakfast doesn't travel well..."

Unless Mom is making it I guess.

Run, don't walk to this place.

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Photo of Kyle V.

 

59

308

Kyle V.

Los Angeles, CA

4 star rating
9/10/2009

the bloddy maria is solid. try it out.

i also really enjoyed their fresh berry pancakes. i think it was the hottest pancake i've ever had, and that is good.

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Elite '09

179

277

Mary T.

Seattle, WA

5 star rating
4/26/2009 1 photo

Oh. My. God. The food could not get any better, or I would be convinced that I was dead, there is an afterlife, and I was in it. (The GOOD afterlife, not the bad one.)

The place is decorated kind of bordello chic -- flocked wallpaper and lots of mirrors, but things are all black and gold. Our waitress was busy and super cute and friendly. She was patient and she was prompt. We really liked her!

Here's what we ordered:
I got the biscuit breakfast, with the gravy on the side -- I am a biscuit person but not really a gravy person...until now. Oh my gosh, most amazing delicious sausage gravy! The biscuits were also divine, kind of sweet and grilled on one side. Wow.

We ordered a small mac and cheese as it was reco'd by a friend. The small would be plenty for a meal, methinks. We got the special of the day and it was filled with green onions, bacon, and sour cream. Totally ridiculous. Totally good.

Dave got a scramble with portabellos, some bacon, some toast. It was, of course, delicious.

The coffee is from Stumptown, my favorite coffee ever. I also ordered their version of a lemon drop and that thing was dangerous -- really refreshing until your mind catches up that there's booze in it, then you might fall over.

We had SO much food that we barely made a dent. Because we were visiting this fair city, we had them box up the rest and we gave it to a really sweet and grateful guy on the street. Seriously, it was like a gigantic meal that we had left over. It felt good to share it.

Get thee to Mother's.

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157

477

Amy C.

San Diego, CA

5 star rating
4/18/2009

Easily one of the best lunches of my life.

Prosciutto wrapped chicken. Oh. My. God. I was so hungry and enjoyed my food so much that I hardly said a word during the course of the meal.

The ambiance is very french and fanciful. Don't think I have ever eaten lunch underneath chandeliers before. They have pictures of "mothers" around everywhere which is cute to continue with their theme.
The crowd that comes in is a good mix and seems to be a fan of many business people all the way down to college students, families, and little kids.

Service was good for how busy they were that afternoon.

Props for their dessert cookies brought to you with the bill.

Oh so good.

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MorganLindsey S.

Gig Harbor, WA

5 star rating
5/26/2009

I wish that I lived in Portland so that I could go to Mother's every morning. Our sever was very busy but extremely charming, food and drinks came quick considering how busy they were. I had the Tony (??) special scramble with eggs,proscuitto,basil, provolone, tomatoes, garlic and J had the biscuits and gravy.

Really loved it, and the atmosphere and concept is very cool.

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Tom Y.

Fremont, CA

5 star rating
10/27/2009

If your mother was a trained chef with the finest ingredients than would your food taste like this.  Came in for a brunch when I was visiting, when I got there at 1130am on a Friday there was a line already, luckily there were several empty seats at the bar, but those got snatched up pretty quickly as well.  The service by the folks working in the bar/barista area was really good despite the fact that they were pretty swamped with the caffeine and alcohol beverage orders.  My latte was really good, but the omelet du jour I had was to die for; the eggs were done perfectly with the right consistency of fluffiness and density.  On the day that I was there the omelet had carmelized onions, thick bacon, and mushrooms, the onions were spot on, the bacon was rough cut so every piece had a bit of the meat, and fat in it ... yum.  Overall it wasn't that much more than a breakfast at your regular diner, except this place is nicely decorated wtih pink and frills, like visiting your artistic grandmother.

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Elite '09

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109

Josh V.

Chicago, IL

4 star rating
7/7/2009

Oh Mother where art thou? What, wrong relative? Who cares!

I was nervous about this place since it was so hyped. I feared it would disappoint, but it didn't! I went for breakfast on a Wednesday morning. The place was busier than I expected, but not packed. I was seated immediately at a nice little table in the window. The place is decorated much like I imagine someone's mother's place would be... not MY mother, but someone's. The seating in the window is on built-in benches with cushions and throw pillows.

I order coffee (drip, not french press) a cup of fruit and a scrambled egg dish. The coffee was good. I thought at $5 the fruit cup was expensive, but I was trying to be healthy so I ordered it anyway. Then I got it! It was actually in a medium-sized bowl and was full of a variety of fresh, juicy fruit. A couple at a table near me each got a "bowl" of fruit and they were HUGE! The egg dish was also very good. The weak point of the meal was the potatoes. There was nothing really wrong with them, but they didn't stand out as being particularly flavorful. Maybe some ketchup would have livened them up.

The service was good and attentive. The waitress thoughtfully asked if I wanted the fruit brought out first (I said yes) and my water and coffee were refilled promptly.

All in all, very nice. Prices were a bit on the high end for breakfast, so not an everyday spot (even if I lived in Portland) but good for an occasional treat. Will I be back next time I'm in town? As my grandma would say, you bet your sweet bippy!

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esther s.

Palo Alto, CA

5 star rating
5/17/2009 9 photos

HUGE portlons
STUMPTOWN coffee
eggs benedict
blueberry pancakes
all deserve 5 stars

service was friendly, food was good. all worth the 20 minute wait at 12:30pm for brunch on saturday.

DEFINITELY will be back.

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Elite '09

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77

Jen S.

Portland, OR

3 star rating
7/5/2009

Pricey but good food, good portion sizes and decent service.

I ate dinner here years ago on a business trip and really enjoyed it but hadn't been back since I moved here last year.  So I was excited that some friends chose this spot for an early breakfast last week.

We were seated right away.  Our server was a bit overly perky, or maybe we were all just not quite awake and in need of coffee ("no the regular drip kind not the press that takes forever and costs more, thanks very much").  Two friends got the Greek frittata, and they were very accommodating to my friend's dairy intolerance and made hers with oil and no cheese, no problem.  One friend chose the blueberry pancake special.  They all enjoyed their dishes.  I opted for the crunchy french toast which wasn't as good as the Alameda Cafe's, but it was tasty.  (But $2.50 for a small handful of blueberries on top?  Really?  I don't care how organic they were, that was a bit excessive.)

Our water and coffee stayed full throughout the meal.  It did take forever to get the check, and there was a huge mix-up with our change by the newbie who took our check in an effort to help out our server, so that took even longer to resolve.

So, second experience...  Eh.  I'll probably take the folks when they come to visit, but otherwise it's not a place I would visit on a regular basis.

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katie s.

Portland, OR

4 star rating
6/15/2009

My only real complaint is that my leftovers went missing!  Boo!  I was going to eat that.  

Great service and a great meal.  Not too rushed, not too formal for a really delicious dinner.  Cocktails were delicious and potent as well.

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George F.

Emeryville, CA

1 star rating
7/9/2009

I've been here several times and always had good service. Not this morning. The waitess left the table right in the middle of our ordering, returning without an apology. And we didn't even get a chance to order coffee!

But what was especially infuriating was her condescending attitude. She came back to our table, grabbed my girlfriend's hand, and admitted she forgot part of the order. Obviously she wasn't interested in serving us. We were left so uncomfortable about the incident that we walked out.

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Nick K.

Biddeford, ME

3 star rating
7/8/2009

Great place to bring your mom. Not so great place to bring your Zen meditation club for vegetarian brunch.
Wait times are very reasonable, except maybe on mother's day (d'oh, I thought no one else would have that idea!)
eggs benedict all the way!

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