Byways Cafe
Portland, OR 97209-3015
Phone: (503) 221-0011
- Price:
- $
- Directions:
- Hours:
- Mon-Fri 7am-3pm, Sat 7:30am-3pm, Sun 7:30am-2pm
Editorial Review for Byways Cafe – by Rachel Bellacera
The Scene
Kitschy and fun, Byways feels like a blast from the past with its vinyl banquettes, 3-D viewfinders, friendly servers and soda fountain. The crowd is mixed: 20-somethings nursing weekend hangovers, young families and Pearlites converge for hearty, satisfying breakfasts and lunches.
The Food
The Pearl's own greasy spoon transcends diner fare by improving on the classics. At breakfast, try the Mt. Rushmore Hash, a mix-mash of potatoes, spicy corned beef, melted cheese and hot peppers. Amaretto-infused French toast is pure indulgence; creamy, aromatic brioche topped with honey butter is well worth the 15-minute wait. For lunch, attempt the juicy, 1/3-pound hamburger with tasty homemade potato salad, or the Crater Lake Cobb salad, which is done with spinach instead of lettuce and doused in crumbly blue cheese. Don't miss the sweet treats: Chewy brownies, piping-hot scones and cookies have a loyal following.
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Insider Tips
When to GoOn weekends, this small diner fills up quick, so bring the paper to read while you wait and enjoy the lazy day.
User Reviews for Byways Cafe
05/26/2008 Posted by PDXpotato
After a glowing review of Byways on the Food Network, my good buddy was ecstatic to try it out when she came to visit me. I love trying new places, so we had high hopes for this piece of Americana. We went on a Saturday, and our rumbly tummies were not excited about the 20 minute wait, but we were patient. Once seated, my buddy was a bit grossed out by the amount of dust/grime, but I tried to view it as "authentic." The kitschy decorations were cute (in a dead-grandmother sort of way) and our waitress was great. We waited another thirty minutes for our food to arrive (so a total of nearly an hour). My buddy was not impressed with the hash, even though the Food Network had made it look delish (disclaimer: she hates onions, and it was loaded with them). I ordered the special, Lily's Scramble, which was tasty, but not anything to write home about. However, what really hooked us was the blue cornmeal pancake we had ordered on the side. It was fantastic! In fact, it was so good that we decided to come back again before my friend left for home. On Monday we went again, and were prepared for another long wait. Good thing, because we sat outside in the sprinkling rain for nearly half an hour (note to Byways--an awning would be great!) This time, we ordered nothing but pancakes. (I also ordered a raspberry scone, which the waitress forgot to bring, so I don't know if they're any good.) When our pancakes arrived (sans meat or eggs or other side dish--these are a la cart here), we dug in with gusto, only to discover that they were awful! My friend summed it up when she said they tasted like what she imagined kitty litter pancakes would taste like. There was also barely enough butter for half a pancake, let alone three. In conclusion, make sure to double-check their hours (call ahead) and pray to god that it's not a bad day, otherwise the uber-long wait and overpriced meal will leave you feeling cranky.
Pros: ambience (if you like kitsch)
Cons: long wait, inconsistent quality, inconsisten service
05/17/2008 Posted by aljk
After the reviews from FoodNetwork we were very disappointed. We have no reason to ever go back. The food was cold, the hash very DRY and cold, but the bacon was not bad, it was even warm. If the food had been hot, we could have made it better at home. We were there at 8:30 am, no wait, so they can't say it was because they were too busy. I almost forgot, the blue corn pancakes were great but not worth $43.00 which was the total of our bill.
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