Tin Shed & Garden Cafe

10/22/09

Good meal in a nice little place.

by designj at Citysearch

I took my friend to Tin Shed for breakfast on a Friday morning. Surprisingly there were a lot of people there, and quite a few waiting. They told us to help ourselves to coffee while we waited, which was nice. Our wait wasn't super long since we opted to sit in the outside dining area (which had heaters above, so it wasn't so bad even though it was just under 60 degrees outside at the time). Food was good, and came out pretty quickly. The prices weren't cheap, but not ridiculous either. I'd come back.

• Pros: Friendly staff, good food, lots of vegetarian options.
• Cons: Parking could be an issue at times due to the neighborhood.

10/18/09

No skinny pants? No service

by mikeyboypdx at Citysearch

Food isn't all that, it's just standard American fare. I don't understand why the hipsters and gentrifiers line up for hours to get in. I was told by the tatted and pierced host (who was WAY too cool to be working in the service industry) "you can sit at the bar"...I told him I'd wait for a table and you'd think I'd slapped his grandma. He mumbled something about how busy it would get (hey, buddy, your problem, not mine). I just really hate the crowd and the attitude. You're in a run-down little ghetto part of Portland, which is the most run-down, ghetto little town on the West Coast. Don't try to pretend because the New York Times loves you that you're something. I would rather dumpster-dive than deal with the yuppie and hipster scum that staff and frequent this place.

• Pros: Standard fare
• Cons: Expect snotty service if you're not a hipster

09/14/09

Great coffee and local flavor

by supsonic3 at Citysearch

I can't say enough good things about Tin Shed. This is my most favorite breakfast place (although their dinners are not as memorable or worthy of a trip to North Portland). Still, it is worthy enough to take all of my out-of-town guests here as an example of Portland breakfast at its best.

The waits are long (even on a weekday morning), but the pre-seating coffee (Portland Roasting's special Tin Shed Blend) helps, especially on a chilly day. Speaking of chilly, the outdoor seating area is heated so that a staff-provided blanket is all you'll need to enjoy an alfresco breakfast in January! I always leave with a happy and filled belly. My dogs can come, too!

I just love the special touches like local Aardvark sauce and grits with breakfast. The staff can be a bit punky and standoffish, but they're usually pretty nice and worth a 25% gratuity.

• Pros: BREAKFAST!!! outdoor seating (even in winter), dog-friendly
• Cons: long waits... zzzzz