I came here 4 times in one week while I visited a couple months ago. The staff is always so friendly even when under a bunch of pressure. Very accommodating to any extra needs and questions. I usually recommend Zells to anyone I know visiting Portland for the first time because it has that PDX feeling.
I personally love everything on the menu, especially the pancakes. They used to have these lemon blueberry ricotta pancakes but they weren’t on the menu this time, however the apple ones were so yummy as well!!
The prices here are affordable compared to other Portland breakfasts. I usually pay about $15 for my meal. They also have great drinks and coffee.
A great place for breakfast, it was busy so we had to wait for a table and after 15mins we got a table for 9 people. They sat us down and brought us some amazingly warm scones that practically melted in our mouths. I loved my Greek omelette too. Everything was great and the service was pretty quick. The coffee had the cutest design. When we went they were out of German pancakes but I have to come back to try them. Thanks for a great time with friends from out of town
Kuddos for the super friendly and attentive staff! As you wait for your order a delicious set of scones are provided for each person. I ordered the spinach salad with smoked salmon and vinaigrette dressing on the side. I wanted something in the lighter side and this was perfect. The salad had pecans, feta, red onions, strawberries and thinly sliced red onions. We also had the brunch omelet and smoked salmon scramble. All were quite yummy!
If the weather is great highly recommend the outside seating.
It was well worth the money coming down to Zell's Cafe! Food was so delicious ! I ordered a Eggs Benedict Florentine with coffee. Friendly service and cafe was so clean ! Hats off Zell's Cafe ! Keep up the great work ! Will return to your cafe some day once in Portland again😊💙🙏🏾#supportlocalbusinesses
Amazing food, location and staff! My partner and I have been looking for a solid, affordable breakfast place ever since Cup and Saucer on Hawthorne closed and Zell's made us feel right at home. We were started off with warm scones and jam, delicious coffees and a spunky pink-haired waiter. I ordered the quiche special with a side salad and bacon balsamic, my partner the corned beef hash and we split the pumpkin pecan french toast special with rhubarb compote. There wasn't a single thing on the table we didn't finish, even the waiter was surprised we weren't taking part of the french toast home! We went on a sunny Saturday morning and the vibes were unmatchable. We've already begun telling our friends about this place too :)
The egg Benedict was delicious but the potatoes were barely warm. Would have liked my food to be hot. The scones were complementary, warm and delicious.
What a hidden gem on the east side. Absolutely loved the kick back retro vibe of this place and the food was sooooo good. They are most known for their German pancakes and the one with cinnamon apples was delish! A must try!! Really enjoyed the lovely staff here too. On weekends, there will be a wait but I promise, it's worth it!!
Friendly waiters and great food. We tryed the eggs Benedict. One baked salmon and one traditional. Both came with breakfast red potatoes that were well seasoned.
Charming old school cafe with delicious homemade breakfast. Solid hash, excellent Bennie and German pancake. Free, fresh, warm mini-scones with raspberry jam served immediately after seating. Perfect for taking edge off hunger. Also, generously portioned mimosas!
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Reliable breakfast and brunch Institution, with rotating, creative chalkboard specials in addition to a broad menu of breakfast and brunch standards, served in a light and Airy Cafe setting. The warm scones brought to your table with coffee upon feeding is always a nice touch Karma and the jam is mighty tasty. The service is fast and generally reliable, although on my most recent visit, with a party of two, one of the brunch orders was lost in the kitchen, and after waiting 5 minutes for the second order to arrive we inquired of wait staff. They acknowledged the error, and clumsy replacement food that was delivered very quickly. The main drawback, as with most good to excellent Portland brunch restaurants is the dreaded wait times and the list, always with the list. On sunny mornings and every weekend, the waits are easily 45 minutes and more. The only solutions I have found are to arrive promptly at opening time, or should you have the flexibility to be able to eat weekdays, after 10 a.m. or so, the wait times are minimal. Other than that, it is an excellent and reliable brunch locations with top-notch food and service and good coffee, kept refilled. Enjoy!
The earlier you go, the quicker you’ll get seated. It was a full house by 8AM on the Friday we visited.
Piping hot coffee served in neat glass mugs upon seating alongside 2 mini scones per person. Side of raspberry jam.
I got the German pancake with pears for about $11. It’s like a crepe that’s trying to be french toast - fluffy and delicious. Served with real maple syrup.
Matt got a classic breakfast of scrambled eggs, hash browns, sour dough toast and bacon. Lots of yummy hot sauces available.
Our total was around $24 and we were both full and happy. Cozy interior, pleasant team. You can grab a hot cup of coffee while you wait in line outside.
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02/05/2022: 4.5 out of 5 - Went out for a run today, and the group wanted to have breakfast at Zell's Cafe.
Zell's has definitely become one of my running group's top go-to breakfast places.
Masks are required which is expected, but this establishment isn't partaking in any of the Social Discrimination Policies that some restaurant owners/management are choosing to do.
The staff were friendly, attentive and personable, which is a joy to see in the food service industry. It makes it a more enjoyable experience.
I did the Hangtown Oyster Frittata, which has been consistent. Every so often, I do also enjoy ordering from what I call Zell's "Chalkboard Menu". There's usually always something tasty. I must say that Zell's coffee is always consistently good, as well.
All in all, at the end of any meal I often will ask, "Would you come back?" My answer if given the opportunity? Most likely since the staff are great, the food and drinks are tasty, and the establishment doesn't partake in any form of discrimination.
So, as I always say, if you ever get a chance, definitely try it once and decide for yourself.
Enjoy!
09/25/2021: 4.75 out of 5 - Went out for a run today, and the group wanted to give Zell's another try. At first, I was hesitant.
Reason why I said "...another try." was because the last time we were at Zell's, the service was quite sub-par. It honestly felt it was at a level of discrimination by the server at the time. And, I don't use the word 'discrimination' lightly nor loosely.
This is no blame or reflection on Zell's as a business nor as a local eatery. I blame and hold the individual server responsible for their actions.
So, today was a very nice. It was more pleasant and the food was quite tasty. Great coffee. I had a Mocha Bréve, which isn't on the menu, but barista did great with it.
Overall, the service at the bar was attentive, friendly and just more enjoyable individuals to interact with. Even under their masks, you can see through their eyes that they were full of smiles.
So, if ever in the neighborhood, try out Zell's Brunch/Lunch once and decide for yourself.
Enjoy!
01/12/18: 4.5 out 5 - Today, my running group decided for Zell's. This place usually is great with service and food for us. Today, our waitress was very accommodating and not intrusive. The other service staff were great, as well.
The food was wonderful. We ordered more off the Specials than the normal menu, and the Kobo's coffee was good to go. We'll be coming back for more.
Definitely suggest trying it once and decide for yourself.
Enjoy!
Had the chorizo omelette and it was one of the best omelettes I’ve ever had! Great chorizo, perfect spice level and not greasy. The scones and jelly are a great touch as well. A top breakfast in Portland!
I had much higher expectations of this place. Was not a fan of their cold latte. The german pancakes that looked amazing on pictures, were too sweet for my taste. The eggs were good. The wait was not too bad for us on a Friday morning. The servers were friendly.
I'm so sad this place is closing 😭 (first week of May 2023). They will possibly reopen but w/ a new menu & service approach bc apparently what they've got currently isn't financially viable :( which is insane bc their food is INCREDIBLE. Blown away by the hollandaise sauce on our eggs Benedict. The apple dutch dish was equally incredible. Such a cozy, intimate, tight joint, you can tell it's very popular with the local neighborhood considering the long wait list. RIP ZELLS!!!
Awesome breakfast and brunch spot in Portland. Great atmosphere, outdoor and indoor seating. Gets busy on the weekend but worth the wait!
Yummy food and kind staff make this a place to eat. Great breakfasts and seasonal German pancakes. I love the specials too. Today I had Kimchi grilled cheese with bacon on the menu. It was so delicious!
Almost always a line. Arrive early!
The chanterelle/leek/cream omelet chalkboard special was fantastic. Far shorter wait than the other brunch institutions in this area. Nice thick bacon, excellent potatoes (and I'm not a fan of home fries yet these won be over). Pancakes were fluffy. Complimentary breakfast scones with butter and jam were a nice touch.
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