Hawthorne Street Cafe

I'd eaten at the Hawthorne Cafe before, and not been wildly impressed, but not incredibly disappointed, either. Today I was hungry, there was parking nearby, so I thought I'd try them again. Big mistake. The waitress recommended the smoked salmon benedict special (without giving a price), and as described it sounded great. When it came, though, it was far from great; it wasn't even good. The salmon didn't taste smoked, but had the texture and taste of canned salmon--very runny, so that the English muffin was so soggy I didn't want to eat it. The hollandaise was thin and watery, far from the rich eggy sauce served in decent cafes and restaurants. The upshot was that I paid $14 for an almost inedible meal (I did eat part of it, but only because I was really, really hungry; and also because, for various reasons, I don't believe in sending food back to the kitchen--though in this case I was very tempted). When the waitress asked me how I was doing, I told her that I couldn't really say I was enjoying the meal. Her response: "Well, at least you're honest." Not exactly what I expected; a "What's wrong?" or "Is there anything I can do about it?" would have been more appropriate. (She did later ask, as I was paying the check, what specifically was wrong with the meal, and I told her; but again, no offer of making things right was forthcoming.) I paid, left a smaller than usual tip, and vowed never to return. It was one of the worst meals I've ever eaten, as well as one of the most expensive breakfast dishes I've ever ordered. I won't make that mistake again.…

Lovely setting, lovely people, good food. For all the years I've lived in Portland I somehow never got to this place, and I'm so glad I finally did. I really like the ambiance in the converted house: I like the plants and all the windows and the light light light. There's a welcoming feel and the staff were just the right touch of peppy and helpful. Food was excellent, prices were reasonable. I will recommend this cafe.…

The negative reviews are absurd. I've noticed that negative reviews by random people can sometimes be absurdly harsh, so I thought I'd look up a place I know for comparison. I've been here, I'm sure nearly a hundred times. So let me say a few things about it:

The food is not going to make you swoon but it's good, it's extremely consistent (there will not be two hairs on your plate), and it is not over priced.

Like the food the wait staff is consistently above average, and never have an attitude.

I cannot warn you strongly enough about the coffee!

The owner is a character, he's foreign and the cultural gap is dramatic. Especially if he knows you well enough to come over and commandeer your table's conversation for 20 minutes, which will happen if you frequent the place . He can be hard on his staff but it's because he genuinely treats them like sons and daughters not because he's mean.

The ONLY customers I have ever seen him take to task are any that are abusive to his 'kids'. Otherwise he's one of the most friendly people I've ever known.…

Terrific breakfasts. I've always loved this restaurant, and it's high time to share. The owner/manager is simply a wonderful man to have serve your breakfast. The food choices are interesting - always fresh & delicious. The coffee is strong & plentiful, the juice exceptionally fresh. Over the 20 years I've been enjoying having breakfast at this cafe, I've probably tried everything on the menu, but my favorites are the omelets. They are a perfect size, fluffy, light and the filling ingredients are of the highest quality. Fruit is always an option to have with any meal, and the side potatoes are marvelous.…