Elephants Delicatessen

08/30/09

Good good, poor service

by joanre101

I have been going to the Elephants Deli for years, since I first moved to Portland fourteen years ago and lived in the Uptown neighborhood.

The service there has ranged from indifferent to unacceptable. On a couple of occasions I have walked out the door without what I came for, swearing to myself that I would never come back. Some of the employees seriously need to get over themselves.

The food is invariably good, sometimes excellent. That is what has kept me coming back occasionally.

I won't be a regular until their customer service comes up to an acceptable level, and that's not likely.

• Pros: Food ranges from good to excellent
• Cons: service is heinous

07/19/09

A new favorite.

by Edenn

Today I went to Elephant's for the first time. I'm new to the neighborhood & every single time I've mentioned my new location Elephant's has been brought up and raved about!

My husband & I decided to try it this evening, and let me tell you - we will definitely be back. They have a great selection of unique drinks, candies, breads & cheeses. We ordered some calamari & sliders and they were delicious! The sliders were AMAZING.

The staff was more than helpful! I have no complaints at all. The wait for food was a little lengthy, but that's about it.

• Pros: Different, Delightful & Delectable.
• Cons: Busy.

05/22/09

great spot for an easy dinner!

by artistannie

i love the fact that there are so many choices... i never get tired of eating here. they have the best grilled shrimp at the deli counter, that i tend to get with a side of grilled vegetables, or maybe noodles. their soups are delicious as well - always a great selection - hard to decide!

it's also great to get things to go when you don't feel like cooking, but don't feel like dining out.

great, great food!

• Pros: great selection
• Cons: none

01/25/09

Best Sandwich Anywhere

by BillZach

This is a true delicatessen. Their Roast Beef is incredible!

The prices are reasonable and the atmosphere is pleasant. It's a great place for lunch.

11/05/08

great food, good value

by foxglover

This place serves so much food that sometimes they do go wrong, but for the most part the food is really very good. People who complain about the price are out of their minds. For what you get, it is an excellent value. I can go to the "stepping stone cafe" or a similar establishment in this neighborhood, pay MORE money for a meal that is a big plate of steaming slop or go to elephants and get excellent food for slightly less money. (And if you go there at the right times, you can often get an amazing deal on some of their casseroles!) I've always found the service here to be good. Everyone is friendly-especially the guys who work behind the bar. And you get free refills on coffee.

• Pros: excellent food, great value, friendly service
• Cons: good luck finding a table around lunch time!

06/16/08

...

by linzzzeee

...

05/30/08

Downtown location has the rudest staff ever

by MrPlum

It's a shame to see such a great place employ such RUDE people. They act like they are too good for their job, like customer's are an annoyance they simply don't need. I also heard one of the guys swearing like crazy behind the counter. Don't get me wrong, I don't think swearing is the end of the world, but there where tons of children in the place. Bottom line, the place has yummy, overpriced eats and a rude staff that needs to get over themselves.

• Pros: Tasty Food
• Cons: Rude staff, overpriced

01/20/08

Wonderful magical and special.

by goldenbright

Going there is always a special treat. I LOVE their chocolate malteds. I think they are the best I've ever tasted. A good place to take out of towners.

• Pros: Variety, quality, ambience
• Cons: busy and sometimes impersonal

03/29/07

mama leone's chicken soup... mmm mmm good

by sissyportland

Elephants is great for lunch because you don't have to commit to having anyone thing... I like to pick out little pints of salads and macaroni and cheese to make a smorkshaborg (sp?) of food. Today my good girlfriend and I sat at the bar and I had this delicious bowl of mama leone's chicken soup (which is lovely on it's own) in a great onion cheese bread bowl. It was so impressive and was just on the spot. We had great customer service, especially from the bar tenders.

• Pros: mama leone's chicken soup
• Cons: bit expensive for this college student

10/01/06

Customer service is terrible

by scubbydoo

the place is very unfriendly, not at all like it use to be in the uptown area. The food has changed also, not fresh and when you ask for something to be made fresh athey get upset.