09/12/09

Friends Don’t Let Friends Eat at Café DuBerry

by BeenThereDoneThat

It would even be a mean prank to send your worst enemy there. Located next to a car detail shop, can you say “Carnauba Wax Soup”? We went there on an advice by a friend (?) and to put it nicely, we were disappointed. Just as the comments below say, it’s crammed. We arrived on a hot day and they have no air conditioning. Their furniture is plastic. There is no view. If the restaurant view was only turned around the corner, at least the bar across the street would have at least provided something possibly appetizing in the worn down neighborhood. It’s supposed to be a French restaurant, yet the only thing I see remotely French is escargot and French toast.

As for the food, there were only half a dozen things on the menu and only a few others as special to make the selection, at best, poor. The same goes for the appetizers, just about half a dozen. We ordered the cod and pepper steak. After the LONG wait, the food arrived. The cod was full of flavor, if you like salt. My glass of water never got topped off regularly. The credited steak is just a chopped steak smothered in gravy.

Again it was so hot in there, and there was nobody else in that restaurant (does that tell you something?). It was so hot, I could not even wait to give these guys a redeeming chance to offer desert. I just wanted to get out of there.

Maybe one of these days when the economy gets better, these guys will get better. Just look at the reviews, they coincide with the economy when it went bust. Unfortunately, with the recent reviews like this, they may go out of business before the economy rebounds.

Keep on looking for a better place for now. This one gets the "buzzer".

• Pros: Portland has better to offer
• Cons: Read on . . .

07/19/09

Worst Dining Experience Ever

by CafeDuBerrySucks

The only thing French about this place is the terrible customer service and attitude of the staff.

• Pros: You don't have to eat at Cafe Du Berry after reading this re
• Cons: Everything

07/17/09

Horrible

by axskitz

Cramped Spaces, Shabby and Dirty looking Waiter, Overpriced and Unfulfilling (and believe me I am not a heavy eater) - The Fruit and French toast side has literally not even a handful of berries. I felt so taken advantage of at the end! Not enough food at high enough quality (the hash browns were extremely bland, even with salt and not a good texture. I will say though that the french toast was ok, it was unique, had a custardy inside with a hint of lemon, but was not nearly enough for the price they charge (one piece of bread is all!). Even thinking about it makes me hungry.

• Pros: Ok french toast
• Cons: Everything Else

06/10/09

Worst of the worst

by CSMobileUser

Most disgusting meal ever

01/23/09

Amazing Pepper Steak and homemade French onion soup!

by EatinginPDX

Everything is so rich and so flavorful! The steak melts in your mouth and the French onion soup is like nothing I have ever tasted! My husband and I go here once every other month or so and I always leave full and satisfied!

I don?t see how all these people had such a bad experience, because we have never had anything but exceptional service from the gentleman who works at night and Amazing food! I would recommend going there for dinner to anyone and everyone! It is a little pricey, but the quality of the food cannot be beat!

• Pros: Homemade food!
• Cons: I don't have any.

11/29/08

Living on past glories?

by hod01

My wife and I enjoy going out for breakfast as an occasional treat. We enjoy a variety of different places generally (Jam on Hawthorne, Sandborns, Screen Door). Cafe Du Berry was recommended by friends - I should have been wary when no one seemed to have visited it recently......

First impressions were mixed. The decor is a bit faded (upstairs where we were seated). However the menu looked quite interesting. I ordered the Eggs Benedict and my wife ordered the special (with a side of their home made sausage).

Service was s-l-o-w. We are normally polite and totally reserved Brits, but we had to ask twice where our food was. I reckon it took 25 minutes. I know the place was busy, but it arrived at about the same time as another table nearby, who weren't seated until 10 minutes after us.....

The food was uninspiring. Presentation was nice, the fruit on the side was nice. However both dishes were lukewarm. Taste wise they were average. Even the home-made sausage wasn't anything special.

I expected much, much more.

Poor service, cold food, average food & expensive = Poor combination.

I for one won't be back (and I live about 1 mile away).

• Pros: Wide menu, fruit sides
• Cons: Slow Service, average food, expensive.

08/27/08

The Worst Breakfast in PDX

by spokeswoman

This is not Bistro, it is lazy, overpriced, and mediocre food. The two of us had breakfast that totaled $28+4 tip=$32. I had the waffle which was only 2/3s of a waffle w/ a hasbrown toast and seasonal fruit(not enough to be considered a serving-garnish). The waffle was ok but it came w/ the kind of syrup you would expect at some "pancake house" or plastic bottle-yuck! My partner ordered the spanish omelette which were eggs folded over to look nice and neat w/ canned salsa over the top! We also had a side a bacon which were pieces of greasy fat that looked like the commercial Sysco kind; yeah I worked in a diner in SF for 8yrs and a bistro(dinner) and the beaskfast at Cafe Du Berry is embarassing! Intially when I walked into this place it looked dirty, unorganized, and just unpleasant but my partner reaffirmed it was good. $12 and you don't even get a whole waffle, the guy cooking needs to rethink his menu!! Service was good, although there is not much service needed for crappy breakfast and it shows.

• Pros: none
• Cons: Overpriced, poor menu

03/22/08

WORST SERVICE EVER and they're not even remotely French!!!

by SJDGringa

I have lived in the neighborhood for over 20 years and STILL try it every 5 years or so. The last time before today a waiter approached me insultingly as if we were drinking buddies, and I am a woman.

Today was just IT for me. The waiter was casual and started to walk away as my husband was still ordering. Who knew the breakfast came with a choice of breads? It certainly wasn't offered. Oh, it comes with wheat unless you want something else....How the hell would I even know THAT as you are walking away?

Breakfast came and my sunnyside up eggs came poached. Somehow felt uncomfortable sending them back by the passive aggressive demeanor and quick- to- escape 'here ya go' type attitude. Had to flag someone down for some jam, had to get up and go to the counter to ask for OJ and more coffee. When the check came, my husband told them about the poached eggs and she blew him off.

I AM NEVER GOING BACK. This kind of service is not only deplorable, it is an outrage, especially when you figure that you are PAYING to be treated that way...

If you are such a big fan of the French toast, GET IT TO GO. This from a person that lives in the neighborhood!

• Pros: NONE
• Cons: No parking, crappy American service, cafeteria ambience, stiff prices

03/01/08

worst place ever

by seirrac

I have been here twice. It is just awful. I wish I hadn't gone back a second time.

The menu choices are fairly limited, and almost everything comes with a sauce.

Do not order the french toast if you are a french toast lover. This stuff is well.... disgusting. You get a single peice of bread that is so saturated in egg that the middle is really mushy and it is like eating half cooked french toast. So gross.

Don't believe anyone that says this is good. It is not.

The staff handles money, then food, then money, then food. Never washing their hands. You can only hope that you sit upstairs and don' thave to watch this as they are preparing your food.

Food is frequently burned as there is smoke in the air - and even if it is just toast being burned it still stinks.

• Pros: you don't have to eat here after reading this review
• Cons: lousy food, bad service, poor cleanliness, high prices

08/04/07

ROBBED IN BROAD DAYLIGHT

by oregonnative53

Best deal about this restaurant is THEIR WRITE UP! Ordered the french toast, and it was nothing to crow about except for the high price. For two people it was a very expensive breakfast, and certainly did not merit it. Cramped doesn't even come close to their horrible seating. You barely can move without hitting another fool that believed their hype. I'm guessing all those wonderful reviews were written by friends or family, and I surfing the net in attempts to try new places in town fell for it!

I would NOT recommend this spendy, tiny and non too clean and sad looking restaurant to anyone else.

• Pros: STREET PARKING
• Cons: EVERYTHING FROM PRICE, SERVICE AND OVERRATED FOOD